NACEC’s response to our Government’s Plan Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025
March 30th, 2021
As the national association representing the community network of enterprise, digital, sectoral and co-working locations across Ireland, we at NACEC strongly welcomed yesterday’s launch by Government of Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025.
For more than a year now, the immense challenges brought about by COVID-19 have challenged our lives and our country in ways we would not have thought possible, not least forcing a move to remote working for the vast majority of our workforce. In doing we have been forced to change the way we work, accelerating the adaption of a hybrid model of working and offering us a once in a lifetime opportunity to reimagine the future of our towns and villages across Ireland.
Our Rural Future outlines an extensive range of incentives, actions and commitments to Rural Ireland, including the development of 400 co-working spaces, relocation grants, tax incentives, funding for local authorities and community groups, move to 20% remote working in the public sector in 2021, with further annual increase over the next 5 years.
The strategy sets out a commitment for major investment in remote working over the next five years, allowing people to live and work in rural communities regardless of where their employer or head office is located.
Such commitment by government represents significant opportunity for our member centres and hubs across the country. With an infrastructure that is imbedded in multiple communities across the country, NACEC will work side-by-side with our members to ensure every centre and hub will maximise opportunities for the communities in which they are located.
At NACEC, we are committed to working with community stakeholders including Enterprise Ireland, IDA, WDC, Grow Remote and many more. We have confidence in the future of rural Ireland and we look forward to supporting our government in the delivery of a stronger future for our rural communities across the country.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Siobhán Finn, National Hub Network Manager @ NACEC
Tel: 353 86 287 2286 | Email: [email protected]
Gary O Meara, Chairperson @ NACEC | CEO Meath Enterprise
Tel: 353 87 222 2306 | [email protected]
