George Lawlor (Wexford, Labour)
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I move:

That leave be given to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to provide for an entitlement of an employee to remote working arrangements where reasonably practicable, for this purpose to amend the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, and to provide for related matters.

Colleagues may recall that a couple of weeks ago, my colleague Deputy Mark Wall proposed a motion in this House regarding flexibility and flexible work. The irony was that the Deputy left Athy, County Kildare, at 6.30 a.m. and was late to propose the motion in this House when he arrived at 10.05 a.m, such was the level of gridlock and traffic congestion on the M7. This is a campaign that he has carried on for many months.

As it stands, workers only have the right to request remote working, but an employer can very easily refuse. Many hours are stolen from workers who sit in traffic, in many instances for hours on end. It is only getting worse. Workers rely on public transport that is reducing in availability and quality on a regular basis. I was told today that the Department of enterprise is asking its workforce to return to work. Some are moving from three days to four days in-office. Others are moving from four days to five days. Those workers are based in East Wall, Dublin. It is horrendous trying to get to work in East Wall, such is the level of traffic and congestion. Those workers are expected to give up hours that they could be spending with their families or giving to their communities. They give up hours. They start work by sitting in cars for many hours of the year, week in and week out.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we witnessed the benefits of remote working. When it was forced on us all, we saw the benefits in productivity. We saw the benefits to families. We saw the benefits for people who may otherwise not be able to enter the workforce because of restrictions. They were able to join the workforce. Those included people with disabilities and lone parents.

This Bill contains clauses to facilitate employers where it is not deemed suitable to make remote working a possibility. It states:

An employer may refuse a request under subsection (1) if the arrangement requested is not reasonably practicable [such as in cases where]:

(a) the nature of employee's work does not permit that it be done at a remote location;

(b) it is not reasonably practicable for the employer to reorganise the work done by his or her employees amongst them, so as to facilitate the proposed arrangement;

(c) the proposed arrangement is reasonably likely ... adversely to affect— (i) the quality of the employer's product or service, or

(ii) the quality of the work of the employee; (d) the workspace at the proposed work location ... is not a suitable workspace for the employee to work in.

This Bill has many safeguards for the employee and the employer. It is not just about blindly facilitating an employee who wishes to work remotely. It is about creating a better work-life balance and a better atmosphere for employees to become more productive, not to sit in traffic and not to depend on public service transport that has reduced in quality and efficiency in many areas across the country. The Bill also facilitates people who simply cannot afford to live, reside or rent in areas such as Dublin. Many people from my own county of Wexford travel to Dublin on a daily basis and have to deal with the gridlock.

Last week, a relatively small flood in Kilmacanogue meant that it took me 4.5 hours to get from Wexford town to Leinster House, a journey that usually takes approximately one hour and 45 minutes. Remote working and the ability to work remotely would have a tremendously positive impact on that. Facilitating it, and making remote working an ordinary thing to do, is something we must enshrine in legislation.

In bringing this Bill before the House, I am conscious that many employees around the country will benefit from it. I believe that many employers will benefit from having workers who are content to work and who improve their productivity from their homes, hot desks or office spaces in the locations where they reside.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Is the Bill opposed?

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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It is not opposed.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Since this is a Private Members' Bill, Second Stage must, under Standing Orders, be taken in Private Members' time.

George Lawlor (Wexford, Labour)
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I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."