Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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48. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if he will be bringing forward legislation to ensure workers have a right to disconnect from their work outside of office and work hours further to the publication of Guidance for Working Remotely by his Department. [34917/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of electronic communications to the success of many businesses and organisations. The use of mobile technology has enabled many workers to remain connected and in employment, and those who can work from home have been encouraged to do so.

However, a long-acknowledged, potential downside to the use of mobile and other electronic communication devices is the expectation that workers are always ‘switched on’.

Ireland already has a comprehensive body of employment legislation, including the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, which sets out maximum working time and minimum rest periods for employees. Apart from a few limited exceptions, the terms of the Act apply to all employees, regardless of whether they are based in an office or working remotely. The Act places an obligation on employers to ensure that their employees take regular rest breaks and do not work excessive hours. Under Section 25 of the Act an employer is required to keep records of the working time of their employees. These records are subject to inspection by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

The Government wants remote working to become part of the new normal. If done right, the benefits will be huge, however it is vitally important that the existing rights and entitlements that employees enjoy are maintained and that an appropriate work-life balance is struck.

As a response to Covid-19, a new web page was launched on my Department's website dedicated to providing a central access point for all guidance for working remotely. It allows employers and employees to navigate the existing guidance and legislation relevant to remote working and provides information for people working from home.

The insights garnered from the recent public consultation on remote working will be used to enhance and further refine the current remote working guidance and the Remote Work Strategy, which will be published before the end of the year. The Remote Work Strategy will consider what legislation might be required. An Interdepartmental Strategy Group on Remote Working was convened by my Department in September 2020 and its work is progressing.

To complement the work of the new Interdepartmental Strategy Group, and in line with the Programme for Government commitment, I will be asking the WRC to consider what can be done through the development of a new Code of Practice or set of guidelines to ensure that both employers and employees are aware of their existing requirements and entitlements, and understand them, as they relate to a right to disconnect, including in a remote work scenario.

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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49. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment the support he is providing for digital hubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34986/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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My Department has invested in the development of enterprise/co-working hubs in every region through the Regional Enterprise Development Fund and the recent Border Fund. Based on Enterprise Ireland’s analysis, approximately 3,200 co-working/enterprise spaces are being developed across 45 of the 117 projects supported under these Funds.

In August this year I announced a €12 million Enterprise Centre Fund, administered by Enterprise Ireland, to provide financial support to eligible centres who have been impacted by COVID-19.

There are a broad range of digital/enterprise/community hubs currently operating across the country, both publicly and privately funded, including social enterprises. The Western Development Commission has mapped over 100 remote working hubs within the Atlantic Economic Corridor (AEC) region alone.

The Deputy may also wish to note that €5 million has been allocated to the Department of Rural and Community Development in Budget 2021 to further develop a national network of remote working hubs and upgrading of existing facilities. An Interdepartmental Working Group has been established to progress this project, and includes my Department.

As part of the Digital Europe Programme (DEP), the European Commission and EU Member States will establish and fund a network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs). In the recent Budget, €3 million was allocated to support Ireland’s participation in this network. These hubs will support digital transformation in SMEs and public sector organisations by encouraging the adoption of the latest advances in the three key DEP technologies of Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence and High-Performance Computing. EDIHs will serve as “one-stop-shops” with a research and technology organisation or university lab at the core, providing access to technical expertise and experimentation, as well as innovation services, and the training and skills development necessary for successful digital transformation.

My Department, in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland, intends to hold an expression of interest process for interested research performing organisations, with the intention that two such EDI hubs can be supported in Ireland.

Finally, my Department is expecting to finalise a Remote Working Strategy before the end of the year.