Ireland’s inaugural ‘Digital First’ Day will take place on November 16, with the aim of creating a national conversation about the benefits of digital growth for organisations and communities in towns and villages across Ireland.
Digital Ireland Network and Ireland’s 262 ConnectedHubs will be encouraged to host seminars, meetups or workshops for their locality around the theme of the benefits of digital growth.
Announcing the initiative, minister Heather Humphreys said the government’s vision is to develop a national network of ‘Digital First Communities’ in Ireland.
“It is an approach aimed at rural communities to use digital growth to attract investment, remote workers, home buyers, shoppers and visitors to their locality, in order to advance sustainable regional development and quality of life,” she explained.
A website for the network has been established where ConnectedHubs members of the public can register their interest in hosting an event for Digital First Day. These events can include topics like how to set up a digital community, implementing the digital growth mindset in a small business, or holding a hub open day.
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“Communities must be supported to leverage new technologies and new ways of doing things to ensure growth,” the minister stated. “There will be c.300 hubs on the connectedhubs.ie network by the end of this year and at least 400 in 2024.
“Hubs of all types and sizes, associations, groups or volunteers are all welcome to run an event on November 16 around the theme of the benefits of digital growth. Applications to register interest in holding an event are open on www.digital-ireland.ie.”
Tomás Ó'Síocháin, CEO of the Western Development Commission, commented “The pandemic has led to huge changes in the way we work and live. Research by the WDC has shown that people have moved in significant numbers to rural and regional areas. To sustain that, we need to build on those changes and support individuals, communities and SMEs to meet the digital challenges, and opportunities ahead.”
Image: L-R: Gail Marshall, Susie Kelly, Corrinna Maguire in the Manor Hub in Leitrim, a member of the ConnectedHubs network.
