Mr. Mark Doheny:

The internal appeals process is a requirement under the remote working policy. It is intended that at organisational level, there would be an internal review before going to the formal review at the WRC in an effort to increase discourse and encourage consultation and conciliation at organisational level, rather than taking statutory recourse.

On flexible working, there is a flexible working directive currently with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. It is progressing a Bill that will implement flexible working, in particular for certain categories of carers and working parents. The Bill is designed not to restrict anything within that other Bill. We have an interdepartmental working group in which we liaise with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth with regard to the various provisions. As Mr. Mulligan mentioned, we are specifically looking at remote working, which is one of nine options under the flexible working directive.