Cross-border coalition welcomes remote hubs

The Cross Border Workers Coalition was reacting to the announcement of the ‘Our Rural Future’ plan from the Republic of Ireland government’s five-year strategy to revitalize rural Ireland through remote working provisions.

Aidan O’Kane, Co-Chair, said: “The Cross Border Workers Coalition (CBWC) welcomes the announcement of the ‘Our Rural Future’ plan The establishment of over 400 remote working hubs nationwide, alongside a long-term strategy for “blended” working arrangements for the public sector, illustrates the decisive shift towards home-working and the need to give employees fluidity in where they choose to work.

“This announcement coincides with the recent ‘Connect2’ project from NI Finance Minister Conor Murphy, with Ministers north and south displaying their commitment to the long-term accommodation of remote working.

“However, by ignoring the restrictive personal tax rules faced by cross border workers, both projects leave border communities behind and fail to meaningfully address the regional disparity in the all-island economy. This plan, therefore, does nothing to allay the concerns of isolated, rural communities such as those in Donegal. Under current legislation, cross border workers who live in the Republic and work for an NI-based company can face a ‘double tax’ on their income if they work remotely.

“We agree with the Minister for Rural Development, Heather Humphreys TD, that remote working is “all about giving people choices”, and, post-pandemic, employees should be able to live in towns across the island regardless of where their job is based. Left unchanged, these income tax rules could continue to significantly restrict the livelihoods of thousands of cross border workers.”