Potential to use Bank of Ireland branches for co-working spaces – Currie

Government should grab the opportunity to promote remote working and acquire Bank of Ireland’s branches as co-working spaces, Fine Gael Senator Emer Currie has said.

Senator Currie, who is the Fine Gael spokesperson on Employment Affairs and Work Life Balance, raised the matter in the Seanad today.

Senator Currie said: “The news that Bank of Ireland is closing 103 branches across the island is a blow to local communities, especially those with high vacancy rates on their main streets. Throughout the pandemic we have seen how local communities that feature a mix of uses have fared better than those with specific single uses like retail-only or office-only areas.

“We’ve also seen dramatic changes in how we work with more people choosing to move house and location because of increased options around remote working.

“With a national remote working strategy in place, including commitments to invest in a network of hubs nationally, Bank of Ireland’s soon to be empty branches could be an opportunity for the Government to acquire turn-key prominent locations in our cities, towns and villages.

“This would need co-ordination with Project Ireland 2040 and our new National Development Plan as to what communities are marked for population growth, to ensure any such investment is strategic and planned. But going forward, remote working hubs with high speed broadband should be considered community infrastructure, as well as community childcare. Existing Development Funds should be updated and made more specific to support the rollout of hubs.

“Through the town-centre first strategy we want to bring more life into our cities, towns and villages – for business, residential and community purposes like this.

“We could also devise something similar to the ‘Design and Build’ template for schools to modify the buildings. This would involve having a shortlist of suppliers who could design the interior of the hubs to a higher spec, getting better value for money and ensuring less variance.

“The pandemic has transformed our world in ways people didn’t expect and remote work is a central part of this change. We have to work hard to ensure there is a culture of choice going forward. Bank of Ireland’s vacant branch properties could be a real opportunity for the Government to acquire spaces to help provide that choice,” Senator Currie concluded.