Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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148. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the units in his Department currently working remotely; the units still in situ; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7225/20]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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149. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the activities of his Department which have been curtailed as a result of the transition to working from home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7226/20]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 149 together.

Due to the recommendations of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) officials at my Department are in the main working from home remotely.

In advance of the pandemic restriction measures officials at the HR Unit of my Department engaged with the management of the various line sections within my Department in order to identify positions that could be accommodated with remote working and those positions where attendance at the office location was essential.

Under the Departments Business Continuity Plan, certain areas are identified as being essential such as IT, Payroll, and HR and these sections have measures in place with a combination of limited onsite working and remote working. Other areas of the Department in the main are operating remotely but some like the Pensions Unit and Payroll have arrangements in place to facilitate essential staff working from the office while observing all the relevant health and safety guidelines and advice. Arrangements are also in place to enable staff attend the offices in our various locations for short periods to drop off work completed remotely, view hard copy files, avail of printing facilities or collect new work to be completed remotely.

The arrangements that have been put in place have broadly enabled my Department to continue to deliver its services to the public. While certain key functions have temporarily ceased such as school inspection visits, and educational psychologist visits to schools as they are currently closed and the staff involved have been assigned other areas of work within those units. Although unable to up to recently, some Professional and Technical Staff of my Department have recommenced site visits in relation to essential school building projects.

Officials at my Department will continue to deliver essential services and they have been innovative to ensure such services are carried out. The HR Unit in conjunction with the Corporate Services Unit of my the Department will continue to monitor the situation in order that the Department can continue to deliver its services and plan for a return to business in accordance with all appropriate advice from the Government and the Health Authorities.