Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Excellent. I thank Mr. Barnes for that. It is important by way of context that when we discuss this we discuss the actual benefits not just to the worker but those passed on in terms of productivity.

My next point has already been mentioned and I would like to hear from Ms McElwee on it. Clearly there is an issue with regard to the right to disconnect and people being contacted and working in excess of their hours. This relates to the health issue I have just raised. This has come to me specifically from speaking to young workers but it is not a phenomenon just among young workers. This is the culture of always being on. Ms McElwee is here to represent employers. Not all employers do it and I do not suggest that they do but it is a feature and something that impacts on the health and safety of the workforce. In tandem with any pilot there has to be a robust right to disconnect from excessive contact outside normal office hours. These things have to go together. Do Ms McElwee and Mr. O'Connor have a view on whether the two things have to happen simultaneously? There has to be a robust right to disconnect alongside any move towards a four-day working week. It is a bit counterintuitive to say we would have a three-day weekend or an extra day that people are not required to be in work but they would be on the phone or checking their emails and this would become expected. Technically on paper people would have a four-day week but it would not work out as such. Do the witnesses have a view on this?