Tag Archives: remote working

DEMAND for property in coastal Clare continues to increase, to the point where the working from home phenomenon has been likened by a local businessman and public representative to a revolution. The potential for remote working created by digital technologies, and introduced out of necessity during the pandemic, is proving to be a game-changer for rural communities which up to last year had been facing the prospect of accelerating depopulation. Now, demand from city dwellers looking to relocate, as well as holiday home owners who have switched their primary residence has boosted the population of coastal communities. A property price survey conducted by The Sunday Times showed that while the median house price in Clare is down from €194,500 to €191,000, coastal property prices continue to rise. Demand for property in Kilkee and Lahinch was aid to be “insatiable” with a three-bedroom semi-detached home in the latter recently selling for €274,000, after multiple bids. “We are at a transition point,” …

REMOTE access to meetings of Clare County Council may continue into the future, members were told, after a number of them joined the November meeting via Zoom. Standing Orders were amended to give effect to a Ministerial Order drawn up in response to Level 5 restrictions, meaning that councillors can attend meetings virtually, as necessary. “This is a historic occasion,” said the council’s Chief Executive Pat Dowling, as members including Councillors Donna McGettigan, Ian Lynch, Pat Hayes and Tony O’Brien connected by video link. Mr Dowling noted that a national template had issued to all councils and he thanked meetings coordinator Ann Reynolds for her work in facilitating the new arrangements. Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy questioned whether the arrangement was limited by time, to which Mr Dowling replied that it would be kept under review. “A number of local authorities, like those in Dublin, had been offering remote access even before Covid-19,” he noted. “It is at the discretion of …

FLIRTED with by many companies employing office workers for years, remote working has suddenly been fully embraced by most companies. Clarecastle-based Paul Ellingstad is involved in the Grow Remote organisation, which promotes the benefits of remote working. The speed at which the concept has caught on since March is something no-one, including Paul, saw coming. “This is total disruption. We launched the Limerick chapter of the Grow Remote group back on February 4. Even a month later, it was like night and day. It came in so quickly. Employers were saying ‘all our workforce is working from home if they can’. It really was a shock to the system.” Grow Remote was established in 2018 and from a humble start, has spread across the country and abroad. “It started as 20 people informally in a WhatsApp group that were interested in trying to get more people aware of the benefits of working remotely, not only individual employees but for employers …