Alan Kelly
Question:709. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding applications that are available for those that wish to create and develop remote working hubs. [22962/21]
View answerWednesday, 5 May 2021
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Written answers
The move to remote working has the potential to transform rural Ireland. It will allow people to work from their own local communities, revitalise our town centres, reduce commuting times, lower transport emissions and most importantly, improve the quality of people's lives.
As part of Our Rural Future, my Department will deliver a number of funding options to develop new facilities and to support the development of existing remote working hubs.
My Department is investing in new hubs through both the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Town & Village Renewal Scheme.
In April, I announced funding of €81m for 25 projects which were successful under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. Many of the successful projects involve the regeneration of historic town centre buildings as Enterprise and Remote Working Hubs.
This year’s €15m Town & Village Renewal Scheme, which I launched on Monday 3rd May, will include support for new facilities that will bring vacant properties in town centres back into use or repurpose existing community or publicly owned buildings as remote working hubs.
My Department will also support the further development of existing remote working hubs and Broadband Connection Points as part of the National Hub Network under a dedicated €5million “Connected Hubs Fund”. Funding will be available for both expansion and upgrade of existing facilities through works such as the installation of privacy booths, access control and security systems, the conversion of existing open plan space to modular offices, and provision of enhanced audio visual, network and conferencing facilities.
Full details in respect of all of my Department's Schemes is available on the gov.ie website.