Cork County Council has officially launched two new flexible work hubs in Mitchelstown and Cobh, offering modern remote working spaces to support local enterprise and community development.

The facilities were opened in a ribbon-cutting ceremony by Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll; Minister of State for Community Development, Jerry Buttimer T.D.; and Cork County Council Chief Executive, Moira Murrell.

The Mitchelstown hub, located above the town's library, features 36 desk spaces including hot desks, small private offices, a 10-person office, and a meeting room. The facility is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In Cobh, the new hub is housed in the historic Arch Building on Casement Square, which dates back to the early 1800s and once served as a market house and town hall. The space offers 15 desk areas and three offices designed for two or three occupants.

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Both hubs were co-funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development through the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, alongside Cork County Council.

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll, said: "The flexible work hubs are a wonderful addition to the town centres, providing working facilities and private offices for the local communities. The new hubs will significantly enhance the local capacity to start, expand and scale enterprises. In North Cork, the hub will complement the fantastic work being done by the Mitchelstown Enterprise Centre.'

Minister Jerry Buttimer T.D. added: "Remote working hubs, like the new facilities in Mitchelstown and Cobh, help to enhance local economies. They revitalise communities and offer diverse services to remote workers, SMEs and start-ups. These hubs are essential in promoting sustainable, flexible work options. They can also increase productivity, help to improve collaboration and create networking opportunities as well as saving money for businesses and their employees. There are now more than 360 remote working hubs in Ireland, all part of the National Connected Hubs network. We hope that number will reach 400 by the end of this year. I’m proud that my Department and the Programme for Government continues to support initiatives like this in Cork."