Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 May 2021
309. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps she is taking to fulfil the Programme for Government commitment to support the development of broadband connection points across the country and the development of digital hubs which can support remote working in as many of the broadband connection points as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25160/21]
View answerOur Rural Future, the recently published rural development policy, recognises remote working hubs and Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) as being key economic assets for towns and villages throughout Ireland. By supporting sustainable economic activity and local job opportunities, hubs can help to drive both urban and rural regeneration and support the balanced regional development goals under Project Ireland 2040.
Initial access to broadband for many of our most remote rural communities will be provided through the rollout of approximately 300 community-based Broadband Connection Points. These publicly-accessible sites provide free Wi-Fi internet connectivity to remote rural locations, including many of our offshore islands. There are currently 164 BCPs connected and operating in towns and villages in every county in the country, with many others being connected in the coming months.
In 2021, the Rural Development Investment Programme’s Town and Village Renewal Scheme includes a Connected Hubs Call. This call is intended to develop and leverage the capacity and quality of existing remote working facilities across the State in support of the National Hub Network initiative. The total indicative funding available for the Connected Hubs Call is €5 million. The fund will provide grants from €10,000, up to €250,000 for multi-hub applications.
My Department also continues to invest significantly in the provision of new Hub facilities across the country. I recently announced €75 million for 24 landmark projects under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. Many of the successful projects involve the regeneration of historic town centre buildings as Enterprise and Co-Working Hubs.
I have also established an Interdepartmental Working Group to oversee the creation of the National Hub Network. A key deliverable of the first phase of the National Hub Network project is to identify the size and capacity of Ireland’s remote working infrastructure. This is a key action of Making Remote Work: The national Remote Working Strategy and Our Rural Future.
The development of the National Hub Network will support, co-ordinate and maximise the impact of the diverse and sizable ecosystem of hubs that already exist throughout the country, including the BCPs established under the National Broadband Plan.
A key support identified through my department’s consultation with hub operators and other stakeholders is the online suite of hub support tools that the Western Development Commission are currently developing at my request– this will include an online booking engine, a Client Relationship Management system and clients. These tools will, in particular, help to reduce the administrative burden on the smaller hubs. Further announcements on this will follow later in the year.
