Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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285. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if special consideration will be given to civil servants with disabilities in terms of returning to the office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54604/21]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is currently developinga central policy framework for Blended Working in the Civil Service which will be finalised in conjunction with employee representatives over the coming weeks. When this engagement has concluded, and the Framework is agreed by the Civil Service Management Board, it will be rolled out to all civil service organisations for implementation. The framework will inform the development of organisation level blended working policies tailored to the specific requirements of each Government Department/Office, including my own Department, whilst ensuring a consistency of approach across key policy areas.

Requests for a remote/blended working arrangement as a reasonable accommodation for those with a disability should be dealt with under the usual process for seeking reasonable accommodation and not through the Blended Working Policy as employers across the Civil Service continue to provide reasonable accommodations to staff who have a disability so they can participate and advance in their employment.