Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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17. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment 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. [41950/21]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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My Department and Offices are currently working in line with Government COVID-19 guidance, which provides for home working to continue where possible. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is developing a central policy framework for Blended Working in the Civil Service. This 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 the Civil Service. Once this framework is in place staff will be in a position to apply for blended working. From 20 September staff will return to the office on a phased basis. A formal blended working policy is anticipated to be in place Q1 2022.

Since the start of the pandemic, my Department has made significant efforts to facilitate remote working for the vast majority of staff (circa 950), and to invest in assisting staff to work safely and productively from home. The total cost of laptops and associated peripherals to facilitate this has amounted to €703,000.

These measures apply to staff in my Department and its Offices. Remote and Blended Working arrangements in the Agencies under the aegis of my Department are operational matters for the Agencies themselves.