Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2021
270. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if additional funding will be provided for digital hubs particularly in north central areas of Cork city; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47032/21]
View answerMy Department operates a number of schemes that focus on projects supporting remote working and enhancing town centre living as outlined in “Our Rural Future – Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025.”
During the summer I awarded €8.8 million in funding through the Connected Hubs funding stream for existing digital hubs and BCPs in every region. This investment will add capacity to remote working infrastructure with over €3 million of the funding awarded to the Southern region, including a number of successful projects in Cork City.
My Department's Rural Regeneration Development Fund and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme also both support the establishment of new digital hubs. Under this year's scheme, projects that bring vacant properties in town centres back into use as remote working hubs were eligible to apply for funding. Projects that repurpose existing community or publicly owned buildings in town or village centres to facilitate remote working were also eligible.
Calls for applications for this year's funding streams are now closed, with details of successful applications available on my Department's website. Details of calls for applications to 2022 funding streams will be announced by my Department in due course.
Applications to facilitate new digital hubs in the area which the Deputy refers to may be eligible to apply under the Urban Regeneration Development Fund. This fund has an allocation of 2 billion euro up to 2027. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is responsible for administering the fund.
