Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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1155. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount that has been budgeted for the local improvement  scheme in 2022 for County Cork; the demand for the scheme in County Cork; the financial allocations that have been made to date by local authorities in the county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37733/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded into the future. The scheme makes an important contribution to connectivity in rural Ireland.

The scheme was reintroduced in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding. From 2017 to 2021, my Department allocated €80 million towards improvement works on over 3,000 non-public roads and lanes benefiting over 13,300 landowners and residents in these rural areas.

I was pleased, as part of Budget 2022, to announce an increase in the base funding for LIS from €10.5 million to €11 million this year. I announced details of the 2022 LIS in early April, which included €879,099 for County Cork.

Since the scheme was reintroduced in 2017, County Cork has been allocated a total of €6.94 million. This represents the third largest allocation at a national level.

Last year, I was in a position to double the initial LIS allocation to €21 million following the identification of savings in other capital areas. This year, I am continuing to closely monitor expenditure patterns. Should savings emerge, I will give consideration to again allocating additional funding to the scheme.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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1156. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development her views on a matter (details supplied). [38046/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Connected Hubs Voucher Scheme, which I launched in June, will give remote workers free use of hot desks at participating digital hubs nationwide. These hubs are all members of the National Hub Network and voucher bookings may be made via the Network's online booking platform connectedhubs.ie

Connectedhubs.ie is a shared online booking engine that provides a 'one stop shop' for users to find their nearest hub and for hubs to advertise their services and take bookings. This service is currently provided free of charge to both the user and the member hubs.

Under the Connected Hubs Voucher Scheme, at least 10,000 hot desk working days will be provided for free. The scheme is aimed at both existing hub users and those accessing hub facilities for the first time. Each registered user has been allocated 3 vouchers to use at participating hubs.

Vouchers first became available on 27th June and are redeemable until 31st August 2022. A second phase of the Scheme will launch in September. This second phase will allow more hubs to sign up to the Network and to take part in the voucher scheme. Any hubs who are interested in taking part should contact info@connectedhubs.ie to register their hub on the connectedhubs.ie platform.

As more hubs are added to the Network, more hot desks will become available to book online, including via the voucher scheme.

With regards to the area highlighted by the Deputy, the Connected Hubs team have spoken to and engaged with representatives from a number of hubs in the area since early this year. These hubs have been invited to join the National Hub Network and to be onboarded to connectedhubs.ie.

It should be noted that there are a number of other hubs in Cork City and county that are members of the Network and are participating in the Voucher Scheme. Locations of these hubs may be found at www.connectedhubs.ie.