Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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521. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures she is taking to promote or facilitate remote working for staff in her Department or bodies under the aegis of her Department; the costs this has generated in terms of the provision of laptops, desktop computers or contributions to Wi-Fi costs or phone-related expenses; the number of staff who have applied for permission to work from home on a permanent or hybrid-model basis (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41949/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Staff of my department have been working in line with Government COVID-19 guidance, which had provided for home working to continue where possible.  Following the Taoiseach's announcement on the 1st of September, my department is now in the process of planning for a phased return to the workplace.

A central policy framework for Blended Working in the Civil Service will be finalised in conjunction with employee representatives over the coming months. This framework will inform the development of organisation level blended working policies tailored to the specific requirements of each Department/Office, whilst ensuring a consistency of approach across key policy areas.

Information relating to remote working arrangements for the aegis bodies of my department and associated costs, along with costs generated within my department for the provision of laptops, mobile phones and data costs are set out in the attachments provided.

Department of Education

Additional data was purchased at a cost of €1,000. This data was shared between the Department of Education and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

Costs associated with Working from Home

Notes to table on Costs associated with Working from Home

Note 1 - Caranua - The Residential Institutions Redress Fund closed its executive office in March 2021. Caranua's staff commenced working from home on 16th March 2020. The Department understands that Caranua's pre-existing phone, case management and shared drive systems supported the move to remote working. A number of staff already had access to laptops to support attendance at outreach events. Caranua is currently in wind-down.

Note 2 - The Residential Institutions Review Committee has no employees.

Note 3 - State Examinations Commission (SEC) - Following the outbreak of COVID 19, which led to the cancellation of the Examinations in 2020 and the introduction of a system of Calculated Grades, the SEC was deemed an essential service. While some remote working was put in place initially there were no additional costs associated with remote working. SEC staff were seconded to the Department of Education to work on the Calculated Grades, these staff continued to work in the SEC, while other staff returned to work in head office in September 2020. SEC head office staff continued to work in the office, with the SEC operating the Leaving Certificate Examinations and the Accredited Grades in 2021.

Note 4 - Notes in regard to Remote working in Department of Education aegis bodies

In line with Government guidance staff of the Department's aegis bodies, with the exception of the State Examinations Commission, have been directed to work from home since March 2020. At the time of responding, Government advice was that staff should "continue to work from home where possible". Aegis bodies are in the process of engaging with staff to address the development of plans in relation to future working arrangements to address remote and hybrid working arrangements within the aegis bodies. As Caranua closed its executive office in March 2021, the issue of requests for hybrid or remote working does not arise.

Note 5 - The State Examinations Commission has advised that the nature of the work of the SEC does not lend itself to remote working, except in the case of certain specialised posts.