€75 million in funding has been announced to transform vacant rural buildings into remote working hubs.
Also, NUIG and the Western Development Commission have launched their third national remote working survey.
So the next step of the Remote Working Strategy aims to breath new life into rural areas.
That's by creating remote working hubs in vacant buildings.
Rural Development Minister Heather Humphreys says once-great buildings will be repurposed for modern needs:
As part of today’s announcement, former Cinemas, Courthouses, Hotels and other iconic town centre buildings will be given new purpose & transformed into remote working hubs, libraries, cultural, enterprise and community spaces. This is #OurRuralFuture in action! pic.twitter.com/f9C6sMdBqe
— Heather Humphreys (@HHumphreysFG) April 19, 2021
Dublin Working Space Used To Be Concert Hall
Huckletree Collaborative Working Space on Pearse Street in Dublin sits inside The Academy.
Which once held a 800 seat concert hall.
Co-founder of Huckletree Andrew Lynch prefers the historic building to neighbouring modern designs
"Dublin culture's ingrained into this building, a bit more so perhaps than a big glass box office like down at the Docks."
This morning in Bailieborough sees an over €1.4 million investment in the Bailieborough Courthouse by @DeptRCD – turning the site into Ireland’s first Plantation Museum, as well as providing remote working spaces and a youth facility. Well done all in the B.D.A. on this result. pic.twitter.com/382gTnne7V
— Senator Joe O'Reilly (@senjoeoreilly) April 19, 2021
Need For Good Quality Working Hubs
Meanwhile the third National Remote Working Survey has been launched today.
Chief Executive of the Western Development Commission is Tomás Ó Síocháin.
He says the previous two surveys shows a need for high quality hubs:
"So certainly there isn't a scenario where people who are working from their bed or kitchen table are in a position to do good work."
The survey is available on NUI Galway’s website.
