‘Our Rural Future’ includes firm commitments on remote work which could transform countryside

Over 90% of premises in the State will have access to high-speed broadband over the lifetime of the plan

Over 400 remote working facilities, above, retrofitting 500,000 homes, below, and installing 400,000 heat pumps, are among the Our Rural Future commitments by the Government. File Picture. 

The Government has committed to introduce legislation this year to provide employees with the right to request remote work, and to mandate public sector employers, colleges, and other public bodies to move to 20% home and remote working this year, as part of the new Our Rural Future plan.

Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys said: “The move to remote working, underpinned by the rollout of the National Broadband Plan has the potential to transform rural Ireland like never before.

“It will allow people to work from their own local communities, revitalise our town centres, reduce commuting times, lower transport emissions and most importantly, improve the quality of life of our people.”

Over 90% of premises in the State will have access to high-speed broadband over the lifetime of Our Rural Future, but the Government will explore how the rollout can be accelerated to deliver connectivity as soon as is feasible across rural Ireland.

The Our Rural Future plan includes developing an integrated network of over 400 remote working facilities throughout the country, with shared back-office services and a single booking platform for users.

“For decades we have seen global trends where young people leave their local communities to live and work in larger cities. As we emerge from Covid-19, we will never have a better opportunity to reverse that long-standing trend,” said Ms Humphreys.

Other firm commitments include targeting half (400 IDA investments up to 2024) of all new IDA investments for regional locations, supported by construction of Advanced Technology Buildings and landing space in 19 strategic regional locations.

Retrofitting 500,000 homes and installing 400,000 heat pumps across the country up to 2030, contributing to employment opportunities in rural areas, are also included in the rural revitalisation plan.

In agriculture, the plan includes the pilot results-based agri-environment (REAP) scheme to reward farmers for adapting to more sustainable methods of farming, with a view to development of a new agri-environment scheme capable of delivering broad environmental and biodiversity benefits that will align financial supports with climate objectives.

And the €70m transitional LEADER Programme for community-led rural development in 2021 and 2022 (see report on page 12) is also built into ‘Our Rural Future’.

“Hubs in pubs” are envisaged, with funding to repurpose vacant buildings in rural town centres (including pubs no longer in use) into remote working hubs, and funding for local authorities to run campaigns to attract remote workers to their counties, are envisaged.

Our Rural Future is presented as the most ambitious and transformational policy for rural development in decades, to be rolled out over the next five years.

It features revitalising rural town centres, adventure tourism, the green economy, and help for offshore islands.