New Zoom partnership with Irish remote work network will enable rural living - Humphreys

A new partnership between Zoom and an Irish network of remote and co-working spaces will provide "best-in-class" online services to members of the network. 

That's according to the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, who announced news  of the collaboration yesterday (Friday March 4). 

Calling Zoom a company "synonymous with innovation" and remote working, she said, "This partnership is clear evidence of the confidence that the commercial sector has in the Connected Hubs network and of the need for closer collaboration." 

She said, "The provision of remote working facilities is essential to enabling our rural towns and villages to capitalise on opportunities that have now arisen for people to live and work in rural areas. 

"Hubs and remote working are no longer unknown quantities. They are embedded parts of many peoples’ lives and will continue to be so. Remote working supports high performance in career terms and also a meaningful family life lived in sustainable, vibrant communities." 

#OurRuralFuture: Minister @HHumphreysFG announces a new partnership between the national @connectedhubs network and @Zoom

Partnership with Zoom will provide best-in-class online services to members of the national Connected Hubs.

Read more > https://t.co/Gdf0fevMIh pic.twitter.com/Usvh5lsSPs

— Department of Rural and Community Development (@DeptRCD) March 4, 2022

She said, "Last week we launched the connectedhubs.ie mobile app and announced an additional €5M of funding to add remote work capacity across the country. Today I am opening An Chroí, part of the original DigiWest network that was the genesis of the national Connected Hubs platform.

"The DigiWest project was awarded almost €650K in funding by my department under the RRDF scheme in 2019. Now, in early 2022, the network that began with four hubs in the West has grown into the Connected Hubs network with more than 200 nationwide, with another 200 to come." 

CIO of Zoom, Harry Moseley, also commented and said, "It's incredibly refreshing to see the Irish Government lead from the forefront and embrace this new era of flexible working, encompassed by the National Remote Working Strategy. We recognise Connected Hubs as a key driver in bringing the ambitions and objectives of that strategy to life."

He called Connected Hubs "an outstanding global example" of driving positive revolution for rural regions. 

He continued: "As the initiative works towards onboarding 400 hubs nationwide, we want to ensure that hub users have full access to the ever-evolving technology innovations Zoom are bringing on stream."