Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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577. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the provisions in relation to remote working as part of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023 will be published; if there is a timeline available on this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22960/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was signed into law by the President on 4th April. It is hoped that the Act will support employees to achieve a better balance between their home lives and work lives.

The Act introduces 5 days leave for medical care purposes for parents of children under 12, and carers; it provides for a right to request flexible working for parents and carers; it provides the right to request remote working for all employees, and it expands the entitlement of breastfeeding breaks to two years after the birth of the child. The leave for medical care purposes and the right to request flexible working are in fulfillment of Articles 6 and 9 of the EU Work Life Balance Directive.

In addition, the Act also seeks to support those who are victims of domestic violence through the introduction of a statutory paid leave entitlement of five days. Ireland is one of the first countries to introduce statutory domestic violence leave.

Part 3 of the Act introduces a right to request remote working for all employees. Commencement of this Part is a matter for the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, who holds the policy for this area, and it requires the preparation of a Code of Practice in line with Part 4 of the Bill.