Overview

An online regional meeting brought together key stakeholders from Connected Hubs, Donegal County Council, and hub representatives across the North West. The session provided a valuable overview of current activity within the hub network, while also exploring emerging regional and European opportunities to strengthen remote working infrastructure and collaboration.

Key Discussion Points

EDIN Project Update

Presented by Eoin McHugh, the EDIN project is an EU-funded initiative focused on enhancing regions as attractive destinations for digital nomads.

• Strong relevance for Donegal and the North West
• Builds on existing hub infrastructure and regional quality of life
• Opportunity to align Connected Hubs with EDIN objectives to attract mobile talent

Connected Hubs Network Overview

Presented by Liam Horan:

• National network of 411 hubs supporting remote work and regional development
• Alignment with key government policies including Our Rural Future and national remote work strategies
• Hubs play a vital role in enabling economic activity, fostering community connection, and supporting talent retention
• The Connected Hubs platform and Hub Members Network continue to drive collaboration and usage
• The upcoming National Hub Strategy will further strengthen the network

Local Authority Engagement

• Donegal County Council highlighted as highly active in supporting hub development
• Recognition of hubs as essential infrastructure for remote work and local economic growth
• Strong foundation for future collaboration between local authorities and the hub network

Opportunities Identified

• Align EDIN project outputs with the Connected Hubs network to position the North West as a leading destination for remote workers
• Strengthen collaboration between Donegal County Council, local hubs, and the Connected Hubs national team
• Develop targeted regional messaging to attract digital nomads and distributed workers

The session demonstrated strong alignment between local, national, and European initiatives. There is a clear opportunity to build on this momentum and collaboration to position Donegal and the wider North West as a leading region for remote working and digital nomad activity, supported by the Connected Hubs network.