Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

A PLS process has been undertaken on the original proposals in terms of the right to request remote working. PLS was also undertaken in terms of the work life balance Bill. The core recommendation from that PLS process was the use of that code of conduct. That is central. There are 20 recommendations and six of them referred to the importance of the code of conduct, and they also referred very clearly to the unacceptability of legislative reasons for refusal. Having taken the guidance of the PLS to do that piece of work, particularly in terms of the determination, and to let that be done in a code of conduct drawn up by the Workplace Relations Commission, it is strange to then criticise our use of the code of conduct in terms of elements that will be decided there. We are following what I think was good advice from the Oireachtas joint committee in terms of the use of the code of conduct. This Bill and the use of the right to request remote working is going to be significantly strengthened as a result of the strong recommendations that came from the PLS process. Contrary to what Deputies are arguing, it is an example of the Government listening to Deputies, listening to the opinions that came from that PLS report and legislating for stronger legislation and a stronger ultimate right for workers to avail of that.

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