Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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353. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if a health and safety liability to employers arises in instances in which it has instructed staff to work from home only during Covid-19 restrictions [13208/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 employers have specific duties to ensure the safety, health and welfare at work of all employees. These duties include the employee’s workspace where employees are required to work from home and includes managing and conducting all work activities to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare those employees.

Employees also have duties and responsibilities while working from home and must take reasonable care of themselves and other people who may be affected by the work they are doing. This duty includes co-operating with their employer and following instructions and procedures put in place by their employer.

The Health and Safety Authority has produced a detailed FAQ document for employers and employees in relation to home-working on a temporary basis during COVID-19 restrictions (see )which employers and employees should refer to for further information and guidance.