Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2022
1149. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans to develop and or enhance the connected hubs In Leixlip, Celbridge and Maynooth in 2022 and into 2023; if she has engaged with the national hub network in respect of the provision of services and facilities in the mentioned towns and in north Kildare [37195/22]
View answerOur Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy was launched in early 2021. The policy recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated national network of 400 remote working hubs by 2025.
In furtherance of this commitment, my Department’s focus to date has been on strategically developing a national hubs network, adding capacity to Ireland's existing remote working infrastructure and supporting the establishment of new hubs.
Over €100m has been invested by my department in the development of remote working facilities through programmes such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, and the Connected Hubs Call. Successful projects are developed in collaboration with local authorities and communities with many projects seeing vacant and derelict buildings in rural towns and villages converted into remote working hubs.
Last year I launched ConnectedHubs.ie, a shared online booking and payments platform for member hubs and their users. The network includes a diverse range of hubs, services and facilities, thus facilitating companies of different sizes. There are currently 249 remote and co-working facilities across the State on-boarded to the platform. This number is growing all the time meaning we are well on track to meet our target of 400 remote working hubs nationwide by 2025. This includes 8 hubs in county Kildare, which are as follow:
- National Equine Innovation Centre (NEIC) (Kildare),
- ACDAL Remote Working Hub (Allenwood),
- Newbridge Business Centre (Newbridge),
- The Hub at Ballymore Eustace (Ballymore Eustace),
- Premier Business Centres @ The Osprey (Naas),
- MERITS (Naas),
- Venture House (Ballitore),
- County Kildare Chamber iHub (Naas).
A further 5 hubs in Kildare have also been invited to join the National network, as follows:
- Monasterevin Community Centre (Monasterevin),
- Athy Community Enterprise Centre (Athy),
- AgTechUCD Innovation Centre (Celbridge),
- Clane Project Centre (Clane),
- Business Barn (Leixlip).
In February of this year, I launched the 2022 Connected Hubs Call, allocating €5 million in funding to add additional capacity to the existing remote working infrastructure in remote working hubs and Broadband Connection Points throughout the country.
On Wednesday 8 June, I announced that 81 projects across the country were successful in securing funding via the Connected Hubs 2022 scheme. This included approximately €250,000 being awarded to the following 5 hubs/BCPs in county Kildare - Kildare Chamber I Hub, Merits, Athy Community Enterprise Centre, the National Equine Innovation Centre and Venture House.
Details of the successful projects can be found on my Department website at:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/49822-2021-connected-hubs-fund-successful-applicants/.
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.
I am committed to ensuring that the National Hub Network will continue to make a central contribution to the achievement of the Government's vision for rural Ireland, as set out in Our Rural Future.
