Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 April 2022
101. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department is exploring the possibility of establishing longer-term agreements between businesses and remote working hubs to enable more structured remote working schedules; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17959/22]
View answer958. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department will examine the option of longer-term agreements between businesses and hubs which will allow more structured remote working; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18023/22]
View answer964. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department is exploring the possibility of longer-term agreements between businesses and hubs to enable more structured remote working, particularly in rural communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18079/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 101, 958 and 964 together.
The National Hub Network currently comprises 223 remote and co-working facilities across the State. These facilities have been onboarded to connectedhubs.ie, the shared online platform that handles bookings and payments for member hubs and their users.
It is expected that, in time, the National Hub Network and the connectedhubs.ie platform will include more than 400 facilities.
I have been clear throughout my tenure as Minister for Rural and Community Development that balanced regional development, sustainable and thriving communities, and indeed the wider national economy will all benefit from workers and employers embracing the remote working revolution.
At this stage of the development of the hub sector, particularly in rural areas, there is still a strong focus on the individual remote worker. Pricing plans are constructed with affordability for the worker in mind and bookings are, in general, made by the individual.
However, and as the Deputy will be aware, there are significant opportunities for employers of all sizes to leverage the National Hub Network directly. More workers than ever are expressing a preference for remote work and more employers, noting the strong professional performance of so many remote workers, see their own interests reflected in the those of their employees.
The connectedhubs.ie team have for some time been developing a corporate service to engage with and support corporate clients interested in using our nationwide network to accommodate their employees, but also to gain access to the vast pool of talent that Ireland has to offer, whether those talented people live in our cities, towns, villages or rural parishes.
I will monitor the development of the corporate service with interest, as I believe this represents another great step forward for the National hub Network.
