Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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130. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to ensure an inclusion statement securing the equal rights of persons living with a disability to work remotely within the remote working strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55546/21]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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My Department published the National Remote Work Strategy on January 15th, 2021. The objective of the Strategy is to ensure that remote work is a permanent feature in the Irish workplace in a way that maximises economic, social and environmental benefits.

The Strategy highlights the opportunities presented by remote working. In particular, it outlines the possibilities remote working options hold for increasing labour market participation. It underlines how remote work can offer a substantial opportunity for people with a disability or a chronic illness, by removing a commute and allowing for a more flexible schedule.

The Strategy further acknowledges how the sudden onset of remote working has led to broader acceptance of remote/home working as a viable long-term possibility, with many companies seeing the benefits of retaining working from home as an option in the long-term.

The potential benefits of a broader acceptance of remote working are significant for people with disabilities. Widespread remote working provides an opportunity for persons with a disability to work where otherwise it may not have been possible.

The Strategy further notes that, whilst providing great opportunity, with higher levels of remote working the careers of people with disabilities could suffer as a result of reduced office visibility and that employers must include measures to avoid this. It also emphasises that persons with disabilities that are capable and want to work on the employer’s premises must enjoy the same right as persons without disabilities and allowances should be continued for those who wish to attend the workplace.

My Department is driving the implementation of the Strategy’s actions through an Interdepartmental Group which meets on a quarterly basis. At these meetings good progress has been demonstrated towards achieving the Strategy’s actions to facilitate remote working in the long-term.