Niamh Smyth
Question:91. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if there are plans to relaunch the connected hubs voucher scheme. [28326/23]
View answerTuesday, 13 June 2023
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Our Rural Future recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing an integrated national network of 400 remote working hubs by 2025.
I am pleased to say that we are well on our way to meeting this commitment. There are now 319 hubs on-boarded to the connectedhubs.ie platform and this number is growing all the time.
The initial focus of the Connected Hubs initiative was on establishing the network and on achieving this initial critical mass, underpinned by significant levels of investment by my Department. In 2022 with the launch of the first ever national connected hubs marketing campaign and mobile phone app, and the announcement of the Connected Hubs Voucher Scheme, the focus shifted to raising awareness of the network to relevant stakeholders, including SMEs, business owners and hub usersThrough the work of the Interdepartmental Steering Group for the National Hub Network, my officials are now working on a new strategy for the development of the national hub network. This strategy will, inter alia, examine the most appropriate and effective approach to funding, developing and supporting the national hub network in the coming years to ensure that value for money continues to be delivered.