Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have been at all the committee meetings and this Bill is important as are the Report Stage amendments. I spoke about remote working. It is part of our future so we need to have the balance right. I also asked about the two-year review. It is important to clarify that because while I raised the issue on Committee Stage that it is vitally important that business owners are brought along on this journey with legislation, it is hugely important that an employee who needs the time can access that time but that the business owner is not also losing out because that would not be good for the working relationship. I welcome the fact there is an obligation on employers to facilitate this. Work life balance brings the most benefits when the options are available which suit the organisation's needs and those of the employees. I say this because while this work life balance is really important we are here at 10 p.m. on a Wednesday night. I know our time has been extended. An extra few hours were put on today but we need to lead by example. It is important that we get this legislation through but it is also important that we ourselves are examples of how we go forward.

We have had many committee meetings on this. I welcome that. I want to ask the Minister about the two-year review. What exactly will happen within the two years? What is the plan to go forward? Will the Minister come back to us with that information?

See this speech in context