Privacy booths in shared workspaces, additional audio-visual systems, and the installation of e-chargers are just some of the enhanced facilities for a Killarney centre thanks to recent grant funding of €67,122.

Conor O’Leary Manager of Killarney Innovation Centre.

Killarney Innovation Centre is one of 12 centres in Kerry who learned that their application through the Department of Rural and Community Development Connected Hubs Call was successful.

More than 117 digital hubs across the country have benefited from the Connected Hubs call.

“This grant allocation from the Department of Rural and Community Development has confirmed the Government’s commitment to rural hubs and is acknowledging the role and importance of centres such as ours and the positive impact we can have on the local and global business environment,” Centre Manager, Conor O’Leary, said.

Killarney Innovation Centre will use the allocated funding to enhance the facilities of the centre for its clients adding such items as privacy booths in their shared workspaces, additional audio-visual systems to allow for distant connectivity and assist to progress their greening development with the installation of e-chargers and an enclosed bike bay area.

The e environment has changed greatly over the last year and has highlighted the positives that hubs and business centres can offer business and contribute to their growth and success, he added.

“The investment that has been allocated to the Killarney Innovation Centre and similar enterprise hubs in Kerry will allow companies and individuals a feasible option to stay local but work globally. Digital centres and hubs allow access to technology which enables and encourages growth and collaboration all in a local setting. Hubs and innovation centres can support the growth of urban and rural regeneration of towns, villages and communities,” said Conor.

“In the past several companies and individuals who are based here have relocated to
Killarney. They had a desire to relocate to Kerry and appreciated that the Killarney Innovation Centre could accommodate their business needs and would be the ideal location for them.”

It is hoped that enhancement works in the Killarney Innovation Centre will commence in the next number of weeks.