Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2026
989. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht his Department's strategy to expand connected hubs and remote working infrastructure including the potential for new hubs in north Tipperary. [16504/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraOur Rural Future, the Government's Rural Development Policy, recognises the importance of remote working and committed to establishing a comprehensive and integrated national network of 400 remote working hubs by the end of 2025. I was delighted to announce at the National Hub Summit last November that we have reached that key target, and there are now over 400 hubs on-boarded to the Connected Hubs platform. This includes 18 such hubs in County Tipperary, such as Roscrea Enterprise and Community Hub (REACH), Ballinderry Digital Hub, and Curreeny Community Hub. This is an increase from 4 when the platform was launched in 2021. My department has invested significantly in the establishment and development of remote working facilities through the range of schemes which make up my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme. Funding will continue to form part of these capital schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Scheme (RRDF) and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS). Since 2020, over 200 remote working facilities have been supported by these schemes. My department also implemented targeted schemes, the Connected Hubs Calls, in 2021 and 2022 to support the development of facilities in remote working hubs across Ireland. These calls funded additional desk spaces and improved related services, such as privacy booths, technical equipment, meeting facilities and access controls. Almost €14 million was allocated across 200 projects under these schemes, which included €692,039 allocated to hubs in County Tipperary, such as Thurles Chamber Enterprise Centre and Rossmore Community Centre. In my time as Minister, significant progress has been made in the development of the first National Hub Strategy in collaboration with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. This includes extensive engagement with relevant stakeholders such as hub managers, local authorities, government departments and agencies. The draft strategy is being developed on the basis of three pillars of digital communities, hub working and enterprise development. The hub working pillar will include measures to support the continued strategic development of the Connected Hubs network over the coming years. The Enterprise development pillar will focus on government funded enterprise hubs. Finally, the digital communities pillar addresses the role the Broadband Connection Points initiative will play in the sustainability of communities using high speed broadband to access digital services locally. I am committed to ensuring that remote working infrastructure can continue to deliver real benefits for rural communities across the country.
