Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will stay on an issue related to remote working, which comes back to the Minister's comment earlier in the committee meeting that if the report on rural development had been produced three years ago, it would have a very different focus on remote working. There is absolutely no doubt about that. Both of us will know from our engagement in previous roles the absolute determination of some people to oppose outright the issue of remote working, especially within the public service. That mindset is still there today. I have one point and a question to put to the Minister on that. The Government and State bodies need to lead from the front with regard to setting an example on remote working. Will the Minister give us an idea on the progress to date on the target by year end of 20% of public service workers working remotely? The Minister may not have those figures to hand but perhaps she will come back to give us an indication, including an indication across the Minister's three Departments on the staff who are now permanently working either in remote hubs or from home.

There have been a lot of negative aspects to Covid-19 but one positive aspect is that it has shown many of the naysayers out there the huge opportunities around remote working. This is not just about quality of life and rejuvenating rural communities, it is also about our carbon footprint and reducing our overall domestic emissions. There is a huge opportunity there also. It is important that we do not lose what we have gained in this aspect. I am very concerned about this and I have articulated this to the Minister for Finance on a number of occasions. I believe there is a mindset and an attitude within some of the decision makers in government to try to get everyone back again into city centre working. The concept behind this is not so much to protect the other ancillary businesses in the cities - we can look at other innovations in that area - but to protect the investment funds and the insurance funds that have office accommodation leased out on a long-term basis in our cities. It is fundamentally wrong that we will sacrifice the rejuvenation of rural communities and sacrifice the reduction in our overall carbon emissions purely to satisfy some of these investment funds that have bought large office complexes in our cities.

My second brief question for the Minister is on a different topic. Again, if the Minister does not have the figures to hand, perhaps her officials may have them. If not, the Minister might come back to the committee. What percentage of the transition LEADER programme funding is funded from the Exchequer? Does it meet with the requirement of the co-funding ratio that has been set down under the rural development programme? Before the Minister answers, there is also a brief supplementary question from Deputy Ó Cuív, which we will take as well.