"Fantastic to be in here" - says Leo Varadkar in Laois at Fine Gael virtual meeting

Mountmellick has hosted Fine Gael leader and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar in virtual meeting with Fine Gael representatives from right around Ireland.

Fine Gael representatives met on Friday, April 8 with Ministers, TDs and Senators joining from 32 connected hubs throughout Ireland. The party says it was the first time a single meeting was conducted virtually using the hubs.

Laois was central to the meeting because that is where Mr Varadkar tuned into proceedings. He logged on from the Webmill Digital Hub in the Beale Centre at the Mountmellick Development Association.

Mr Varadkar was accompanied by Laois-Offaly TD and Mountmellick native Charlie Flanagan.

“It’s fantastic to be here with Deputy Flanagan to once again see the benefits of a local hub at first hand. If there’s one thing we learned from the pandemic, it’s that we can’t go back to the old ways of working. We want to see more remote working, more home working, more hybrid working. And these hubs make it possible even in areas which are not currently serviced by the National Broadband Plan.

“Record levels of funding have been provided to support community hubs. Remote working helps to sustain and strengthen our communities.It’s good for quality of life and family life, and it’s also good for the environment by cutting down on commuting. Hubs like this are at the heart of Fine Gael’s plans to build stronger, safer communities,” he said.

A statement issued by the party's HQ said the initiative is part of Fine Gael’s Stronger, Safer Communities campaign. It said the campaign aims to highlight the party’s commitment to ensuring our towns, villages, and cities are great places to live, work, run a business, raise a family, and grow old, and ensure that they are stronger and safer than ever before.

Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys joined this afternoon’s meeting from The Yard Workspace in Newcastle West, Limerick, along with local Minister of State at the Office of Public Works, Patrick O’Donovan.

“I have visited hubs the length and breadth of the country and one thing is clear: They are essential in making remote working a reality for tens of thousands of our citizens. 

“My Department has invested millions of euro in funding in the establishment of new remote working hub facilities and has launched the ‘Connected Hubs’ initiative, which allows people to book their hotdesk space at a click of a button via a new mobile app.

“This is all about giving people a better quality of life. It’s about moving away from the days of people sitting for hours on end in traffic jams, or standing like sardines on the Luas, DART, bus or train.

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“Above all, it’s about creating an environment where people can work in their local hub in their own town and village. It’s about attracting people back to rural Ireland, boosting our local economies and ensuring remote working is part of our rural future,” said Minister Humphreys.

Fine Gael said the meeting showcased the acceleration that has been seen in connectivity across the country and demonstrates that remote working is now a viable option for every county, including those living off the coast. 

A statement said the party is determined to ensure balanced regional development across the country and an important element of that is making remote working an option for more people. It added that the drive to encourage remote working will help revitalise towns and villages and it supports Fine Gael’s ambition to build stronger safer communities nationwide.