Emer Higgins
Question:143. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on the development of a remote working hub in Adamstown, County Dublin. [13374/21]
View answerWednesday, 10 March 2021
Questions (143)
Written answers
I am not aware of the development of a remote working hub in Adamstown, County Dublin.
However, currently there is an Enterprise Ireland open ‘Regional Development Feasibility Fund’ that promoters, looking to scope out and investigate the viability of larger full-scale projects such as remote working hubs, can apply for. A feasibility grant of €15,000 or 50% of eligible costs, whichever is lesser, is available to qualifying applicants meeting the required criteria.
In addition, on 20 November 2020, I announced €8.24m in grants for 95 Enterprise Centres around the country administered through Enterprise Ireland. The funding will ensure that the Enterprise Centres, many of which have been negatively impacted by COVID-19, can sustain their businesses, pivot and further develop their services to support the next wave of Irish start-up companies. Enterprise Centres provide important infrastructure for entrepreneurs and are an essential part of the start-up ecosystem across Ireland. The Centres, many of which are regionally based, provide space, mentoring and support to start-up founders and teams, helping them to scale internationally.
On 15th January last I published Ireland’s first National Remote Work Strategy to make remote working a permanent option for life after the pandemic. An important action within the National Remote Working Strategy is to extend the mapping and classifications of hubs, as completed by Western Development Commission on the Atlantic Economic Corridor, across the country to develop national data on hub infrastructure. Enterprise Ireland is actively working to support the implementation of this strategy through:
- mapping and classification of hubs;
- mapping regional and local need to inform future investment in enterprise centres/hubs; and
- investment in remote work hubs and infrastructure in underserved areas thus underpinning the development of the national hubs network.
To date, my Department has funded seven schemes administered by Enterprise Ireland and approved €255 million to support the establishment of approximately 270 enterprise centres throughout Ireland. This investment has enabled:
- Establishment of physical space for entrepreneurs, start-ups, scaling companies, SMEs and a balance of small scale FDI;
- Delivery of enterprise relevant programmes to companies; and
- Provision of physical space to support remote working.