Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Covid instantly changed everything. One would not think that from the Minister of State's remarks. What was impossible for all the reasons that we have heard for years became possible overnight: working from home, flexible working, working online, a new work-life balance. Things that were unachievable and undoable because of necessity not only were doable but worked. The discourse in recent months was that all has changed permanently because of what we have learned in the past two years about how we can do things differently and better.

There is no going back to what existed before, but listening to the Minister of State's comments today, that is clearly not the case. Options are to be provided but only where they suit the employer, otherwise not. That is at the core of the issue. We know only too well how easy it is to revert to the way things were always done. That is the convenient, simple way. Many of the changes that came about in banking after the economic crash, when we swore we would learn from our mistakes and never revert to them, are now being put back on the agenda. I refer to the structure of bank bonuses, performance pay and the oversight of banking activities. It is very easy for lessons to be unlearned and for important changes to be undone if it suits those who can influence policy in the State.

In my view and that of the Labour Party, it is timely now, before the important work lessons of Covid are unlearned, to establish those learnings in concrete terms in law. That is the objective of the motion before the House. It is set out in meaningful terms in the legislation published by our colleague Senator Sherlock. If work could be done remotely during the pandemic, surely it is reasonable to conclude that it can continue to be done in that fashion forever if that suits the workers concerned.

I accept that the fundamental change in work practices instantly brought about by the pandemic had to be instituted in many cases without proper preparation. I hear what the Minister of State says in that regard. We all know that. We needed preparation and to have supports. We needed equipment to be provided to do the job. How much better the outcomes would be - better than the successes of the past two years - if we now make proper and thorough preparations to ensure efficient broadband is available, for example, and access is offered across the nation to easily accessible work hubs in every county. Likewise, we should make proper preparation for those willing and able to work from home by providing basic equipment such as desks, chairs and suitable PCs. The Minister of State is correct when he says that people worked on an emergency basis using sideboards or even ironing boards in some instances, but doing it properly and preparing it properly would be transformational.

Our work patterns in recent decades have seen tens of thousands of commuters leaving counties such as my own to commute to Dublin. From as early as 5.30 a.m., the M11 and many other roadways see the daily commute with the obvious impact for hundreds of thousands of families. Men and women are getting up and leaving their children into crèches or childminders at the crack of dawn and do not see them again for most of the day. The human and family impact is readily understandable, and the environmental impact and carbon emissions are equally so. Why can we not change that? We have people needlessly spending hours daily in their cars, burning fuel and causing congestion, which adds to the cost not only for themselves but also for other road users and for the economy. We now face a new reality that has been instanced. Many of the people I am talking about simply cannot afford that commute. They cannot afford to put the fuel in their cars. The price of fuel is making work unaffordable. Few would predict that matters will improve any time soon. I will give way to my colleague. This motion is timely and important and I hope it will be accepted.

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