Ireland’s first national network of remote working hubs has been launched with 66 facilities participating across the country.
The Connected Hubs Network will allow people to book desks, meeting rooms, and co-working spaces through an online booking system on ConnectedHubs.ie.
Freelancers, start-ups and small business can book working spaces at the 66 existing hubs online, with different hubs charging different prices. The government aims to have over 100 hubs on the website by the end of 2021.
Currently, there are about 400 remote working hubs in Ireland in total and the overall goal is to get every hub joined to the network.
“If the hub is already signed up as a member of connectedhubs.ie, businesses and individuals can book and pay directly via the booking application on the Connected Hubs platform,” said a spokesperson for the Department of Rural and Community Development.
Hubs that are not yet part of the network can still be searched on the platform, as long as they have been mapped and surveyed by the National Hub Survey. “The Connected Hubs team are on-boarding more hubs to the booking engine and this network will grow over the coming months and years,” said the spokesperson.
Interested workers and businesses can book hot desks, private offices, meeting rooms and co-working and collaborative spaces.
They can also use online meeting technologies, and some hubs offer enterprise and business supports to start-ups and small businesses.
When asked about booking fees, the department spokesperson said: “Each individual hub will be able to manage their own operation through the platform and set their own price.
“Some hubs vet their clients because their business supports target specific types of customers, and this can be facilitated through this platform too,” they said.
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, launched the network in Swinford in Co Mayo on Monday.
She said 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.
“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,” she said.