Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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526. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason staff working in the Legal Aid Board are being requested to work on site in contravention of Government guidance that those who can work from home should work from home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61971/21]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Legal Aid Board is the statutory, independent body responsible for the provision of civil legal aid and advice to persons of modest means, in accordance with the relevant criteria and provisions of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995. Section 3(3) of The Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 states that "the Board shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be independent in the exercise of its functions". The Deputy will appreciate that I have no responsibility for staffing or operational matters under the remit of the Board.

The public health advice issued by Government on 16 November 2021, states that “everyone should revert to working from home unless it is necessary to attend the workplace in person”.

It is a matter for the Legal Aid Board, like all employers in the State, to determine how it operates its workplace in line with this guidance.