Stormont planning to open a new hub for civil service employees in Derry
Proposal is part of major rethinking on how the civil service operates
Finance Minister Conor Murphy has today announced plans for a number of new civil service regional hubs.
The first Connect2 hubs are expected to open in Ballykelly and Downpatrick in the spring.
They will only become operational when appropriate in line with Health advice and Health Protection Regulations.
There are plans for additional hubs in Ballymena, Craigavon, Omagh, and the Antrim/Newtownabbey area next year.
Projects in Derry, Enniskillen, Newry and the Bangor/Newtownards area are planned for 2023.
Commenting on the economic and environmental benefits, Finance Minister Conor Murphy said: “These regional hubs will transform how civil servants work – enabling them to be based closer to home, reducing travel time and lowering carbon emissions while importantly promoting regional economic balance.
“COVID-19 has seen an unprecedented shift in how the civil service works with many public services being delivered remotely. We now have an opportunity to build on these new ways of working.
“These hubs are an exciting development in how the civil service estate operates and present a huge opportunity to make a positive impact on local economies, the environment as well as the health and wellbeing of our staff.”
“We are working collaboratively with Councils to maximise the local regeneration impact and to establish the hubs as soon as possible. I ask all elected representatives to support us in this work.”