John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I acknowledge he is aware of the issue and I welcome his response. He will be aware that, at the start of the pandemic, remote working was embraced as a new, ground-breaking concept that would change the world. It is now recognised that employees probably need a blend of remote working and participation in the workplace. Is there work ongoing in this regard? Are there any studies or research on how we could safely blend the two approaches? It is good for people's mental health to socialise and physically meet their colleagues.

I warmly welcome what the Minister is saying about the city. I generally come into the city every Sunday. It is good, a long ramble. Businesses will provide outdoor opportunities when they are encouraged to do so. We must be fair to the city council in this regard. It is a lot safer to dine or have a cup of coffee outdoors. We could do more in this regard in the cities, including on the side streets.

Remote working has had an impact on the newsagents, coffee shops and sandwich bars. We welcomed remote working with open arms at the start. Will the Minister give the House some idea as to what is going on in the background in regard to remote working in the medium term?

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