The Northern Ireland Department of Finance has announced the completion of work on two remote-working hubs that are to become part of a network allowing Agencies to offer flexible working for Public Servants.
The hubs, in Downpatrick and Ballykelly, are now ready for officials to use once COVID-19 restrictions lift.
They are the first of 10 hubs in town centres outside Belfast announced by the Government in February.
Government guidance still says people should work from home where possible to curb the spread of the virus.
The two hubs are to go into operation in the first half of 2022, or “when appropriate in line with health advice and health protection regulations”, the Ministry said.
Eight more hubs are set to open over the next two years, situated in Ballymena, Craigavon, Omagh, Enniskillen, Newry, Derry and the Antrim/Newtownabbey, and Bangor/Newtownards areas.
Many of the buildings that set to host the hubs are yet to be identified, so it is not yet known how many officials will be able to use them.
A Department of Finance spokesperson said that while it was too early to determine how many Public Servants the 10 hubs could accommodate “they will offer staff from across all Departments a local, well-equipped and flexible working environment to support business needs”.
Belfast, 25 August 2021
