Holly Cairns
Question:72. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the step she is taking to support and promote employment and remote working on offshore islands. [28363/23]
View answerTuesday, 13 June 2023
Questions (72)
Written answers
Diversifying island economies is one of the five high-level Strategic Objectives set out in Our Living Islands - the Government's ambitious new 10 year national policy for the islands - which I published last week. Connectivity is vital for islands and the delivery of high speed broadband and supporting remote working infrastructure are key to delivering this.
Our Living Islands aligns with the Government's ambition to transform digital connectivity for rural communities and enterprises, as first set out in Our Rural Future, which I published two years ago.
I also published a three-year Action Plan last week to support the implementation of the islands policy. Among the key actions to be delivered under the Action Plan is the delivery of high-speed broadband to island-based schools, digital hubs and Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) to ensure a reliable connection to the internet for both education and remote working. Supports will also be provided to Remote Working Facilities on islands so that people can live and work within their own community.
There are currently 8 offshore islands with operational Broadband Connection Points. These BCPs are provided with a wireless temporary high-speed broadband connection for public use and are intended to be long-term, digitally-enabled community assets that allow for onsite internet use by the public.
When launching Our Living Islands on Árainn Mhór last week, I visited the islands digital hub, which was the first hub on an offshore island. I saw first hand the real difference it is making in enabling people to move to the island while continuing to work for their existing employer.
Questions Nos. 73 and 74 answered orally.