Omagh's County Hall earmarked as location for Civil Service Regional Hub

THE County Hall has been earmarked as the location for Omagh’s Civil Service Regional Hub with completion envisaged later this spring, Stormont's Finance Minister has confirmed.

In February, last year, Conor Murphy announced the role out of Connect2 civil service regional hubs at eight locations including Omagh.

At the time, Mr Murphy said the hubs will transform how civil servants work enabling them to be based closer to home, reducing travel time and lowering carbon emissions while promoting regional economic balance.

There development was also accelerated by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

Work at the County Hall located at the juunction fo Sedan Avenue and Mountjoy Road has been ongoing and the Minister has now indicated that Civil Service workers in the town will relocate in the coming months.

He was responding to a written Assembly question on the matter by West Tyrone Sinn Féin MLA., Declan McAleer.

He had asked his party colleague "for an update on the Civil Service hub in Omagh".

In his response, the Minister confirmed that the County Hall "is being considered as the location for the Omagh Connect2 hub".

He added: "At present, it is envisaged that the hub in Omagh will be completed by the spring of 2022.

"The decision on when to open the completed hub will be taken with due regard to current public health advice.

"My officials have met and will continue to meet with the chief executive of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and her team to explore how the hub and our local estate can best fit with, and contribute to the regeneration plans for the town centre."

Mr McAleer has welcomed the progress, saying it will be a "great asset" for the town.

“I welcome this progress to date and have no doubt that it will be a great asset to Omagh town centre, help increase footfall and substantially reducing travel times for civil service employees which promotes a better work life balance while also reducing carbon emissions," he commented.

Party colleague and West Tyrone MP., Orfhlaith Begley, is hopeful similar hubs will be developed in other areas of the West Tyrone constituency.

“The role out of these regional hubs underpins Sinn Féin’s commitment to decentralisation," she said.

“This is great news story for Omagh and the economic, social and environmental benefits of the hub concept should be used as a template for other public and private employers.

“I am continuing to press for additional similar hubs at other locations in West Tyrone.”