Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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1172. To ask the Minister for Health the measures he is taking to promote or facilitate remote working for staff in his Department or bodies under the aegis of his 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 he will make a statement on the matter. [41955/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The staff in my Department and in the agencies under the aegis of my Department are currently working in line with Government COVID-19 guidance, which provides for home working to continue where possible.

Post-Covid Blended Working Framework

A central 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.

Senior human resources staff and CEOs of the agencies under the aegis of my Department have been kept fully briefed in respect of the development of the Civil Service Framework and the shift towards blended working patterns for the post-Covid era.It is intended that the public sector, including the agencies under the aegis of my Department, will develop their own blended working policies based on the principles set out in the Blended Working Framework for the post-Covid era when it is agreed.

My Department has established an internal Blended Working Group involving key Corporate functional areas which is examining the practical implications of facilitating blended working by staff in the Department of Health. This will be ongoing over the coming months and will take account of central framework on remote working from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. An application process for blended working will be put in place for the staff of my Department and the public health sector staff in due course.

Over the past 3 years my Department has had a rolling programme in place to issue all staff with a personal laptop, as opposed to a desktop device. These devices are used in the office and are also in use by staff as they work remotely at present. For health and safety reasons, staff have been facilitated in bringing home some other equipment from the office, e.g. office chairs and peripheral ICT equipment such as a keyboard, mouse and external monitor, to provide for an ergonomically appropriate work-station as they are required to work remotely.

In line with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Guidance on working arrangements during COVID-19 for the Civil and Public Service, it has been decided that public service employers should not pay a daily allowance to their employees in respect of working from home. My Department does not pay broadband or phone costs for staff, other than the normal arrangements where a mobile phone is provided on an identified business need. It is open to employees to make claims directly from Revenue in respect of actual costs incurred in working from home at the end of the relevant tax year, in accordance with relevant Revenue rules. Any claim in this regard is solely a matter for the individual concerned.

In respect of costs in the agencies under the aegis of my Department, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter. The information has been sought from the Non-Commercial State Agencies, and once collated, will be provided by way of separate letter to the Deputy.

In line with the Government campaign - #MakingRemoteWork – I am supportive of facilitating all reasonable and practical applications for blended working, while ensuring the continued effective and efficient delivery of the Department’s business.