The programme will deliver enhanced national datasets, policy briefings, peer reviewed academic outputs and a flagship WDC report designed to inform decision makers and the wider public.

The Western Development Commission (WDC) and Atlantic Technological University (ATU), have announced a significant partnership that will examine how remote and hybrid work is reshaping Ireland’s economy, communities and quality of life. 

The two-year project, which is called Connected Futures: The Economics of Remote and Hybrid Work in Ireland and its Impacts on Wellbeing, Mobility, and the Local Economy, is funded under the TU Rise programme.  

Dr Aisling Moroney from WDC’s policy analysis team will spearhead WDC’s involvement in the research. The ATU side of the operation will be led by Dr Amaya Vega, Dr Sinead Keogh and Dr Michelle Queally from the Department of Enterprise and Technology in the Faculty of Business and post-doctoral researcher Dr Salim Khan. 

With institutions based across the west and northwest, ATU is well positioned to explore how evolving working patterns are impacting people and enterprises across the country. The new partnership aims to build on that foundation and move the conversation forward again. 

The research will provide Government and stakeholders with information on local spending, sustainable mobility, wellbeing, digital infrastructure, commuting behaviour and the long-term future of regional communities. 

The programme will also deliver enhanced national datasets, policy briefings, peer reviewed academic outputs and a flagship WDC report designed to inform decision makers and the wider public. 

Commenting on the partnership, Dr Orla Flynn, the president of ATU said, “Remote and hybrid work have fundamentally reshaped how we live, work and connect, particularly in regional and rural Ireland. 

“By combining ATU’s research expertise and regional reach with the WDC’s leadership in this area, the Connected Futures initiative will generate evidence-based insights to support national decision-making, strengthen communities and ensure that the benefits of new ways of working are shared across all regions of the country.”

Allan Mulrooney, the CEO of the WDC added, “Ireland changed how it works almost overnight. The challenge now is understanding what that means for communities, for businesses and for regional growth. 

“This partnership with ATU is about building that evidence, grounded in real data and lived experience and ensuring remote and hybrid work deliver meaningful benefits across the country, not just in a small number of locations. That evidence will help Government, agencies and employers take the right next steps and ensure Ireland remains ahead of the curve”.

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