REMOTE working from Clare has just gotten easier with the launch today of Ireland’s Connected Hubs Network, the first national network of remote working hubs.
Some 66 hubs nationwide are on board and accessible to remote workers via ConnectedHubs.ie; while this number is set to rise to over 100 by the end of this year.
The launch was welcomed by Clare TD Cathal Crowe who cited his own experience of working from locations as diverse as the train, the car, his home and office, as being increasingly typical.
“Today’s announcement is a significant one for a county like Clare,” said Deputy Crowe.
The stage is set 📽️
At 12.30pm today we will officially launch https://t.co/Ot9beiKYI8
Join our MC for the day, broadcaster and entrepreneur @bobbykerr , Minister @HHumphreysFG and others.
Register to watch 👉https://t.co/SGhM7cLJbK#OurRuralFuture #TransformYourWorkday pic.twitter.com/E1fbA40UYg
— ConnectedHubs.ie (@connectedhubs) May 31, 2021
“More and more people are eager to put down roots at home and enjoy family time, enjoy country living and embrace their local community once more.
“With ConnectedHubs.ie going live today, this will be a viable reality for thousands more people.
“Already, we’ve got the digital hubs in place in Ennistymon, Feakle, Kilkee, Kilrush, Miltown Malbay, Corofin, the Cusack Centre and Kilfenora, so there’s great spread across the county in terms of where these are accessible.
“Covid-19 has taught us the importance and the use of remote working and how it can greatly improve the quality of life of workers and, in turn, improve output,” he added.
The overall target is to have 400 of these hubs, with high-speed internet access, dotted around the country.
Announcing the initiative, Minister Heather Humphreys said “Remote Working is a key committment of ‘Our Rural Future’, the most ambitious policy for Rural Ireland in decades.
“Hub working can support the development of employment opportunities and career paths in rural areas. This will help to give young people the choice to stay closer to home while pursuing their careers and also to encourage people living in cities to consider moving to a more rural location.
“Throughout this pandemic, so many of us have experienced the benefits of remote working – reduced commutes, more time spent with your family, increased footfall in towns, a lower carbon footprint.
“As we look to the reopening of our country, I am determined that we make remote working a permanent and viable reality for thousands of people.
“The Connected Hubs Network provides the perfect opportunity for workers and employers to embrace a ‘blended working’ model, and to find the balance of hub, home and office working that works best for them.”
https://twitter.com/DeptRCD/status/1399101869318983680?s=20
The Minister concluded: “I would urge all existing or new hubs to become members of Connected Hubs. In addition to availing of the excellent platform and supports unveiled today, by having your details included in the National Hub Survey you can help Government to identify the scale of our nation’s remote working infrastructure. This information will help to guide and inform future investment decisions in future.
“I would also like to remind hub managers of two funding streams which I recently launched, the €5m Connected Hubs fund for existing hubs and the €15m Town and Village Renewal Scheme, which will place particular emphasis on projects supporting remote working and enhancing town centre living as outlined in Our Rural Future.
“I will also be making an announcement regarding the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund in the coming months.”
Clare Connected Hubs include Ennistymon Digital Hub; Feakle Hub; Kilkee Digital Hub; Kilrush Digital Hub; Miltown Malbay Hub; Corofin Digital Hub; Cusack Centre Hub; Kilfenora Digital Hub.