Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Essentially what I want to do here is to maximise choice for people. Many people have seen the benefits of working from home and remote working. Many people said it could not be done or that we would see a big drop-off in productivity. Generally speaking, that has not been the case although some people would dispute that. We are keen to make this part of the new normal.

The legislation will put in place a structured system whereby a person can request remote working. The employer will have to provide a response within a defined timeframe and will have to give a reason for refusal. That reason can then be challenged. That is the system on which we are working. It is similar to the system in place in the UK. In the meantime, I hope employers and employees will be practical and sit down together to work out the best arrangements for them. There are many people now working from home because they have to do so due to Government orders and Government advice. That will change. It is going to be much more choice-based in the future.

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