Written answers

Thursday, 27 January 2022

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Flexible Work Practices

Photo of James LawlessJames Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

156. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the implementation of the required legislation for the national remote working strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4156/22]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Remote Work Strategy identified 15 actions to be undertaken to ensure that remote work is a permanent feature of the Irish workplace in a way which maximises its economic, social and environmental benefits.

An Interdepartmental Group (IDG), coordinated by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE), provided oversight to the implementation of the Strategy. The IDG included representation from key Government Departments, State Agencies and relevant public bodies. The IDG met four times over the course of 2021 to drive the coordination and implementation of the report’s actions. Significant progress has been made in implementing the actions in the Strategy in the year since its launch.

The right to request remote work is part of the Government vision to make remote working a permanent feature of Ireland’s workforce in a way that can benefit all – economically, socially and environmentally. The commitment to introduce legislation to underpin employees' right to request remote work was made in the national Remote Work Strategy.

On 25 January the Government approved the priority drafting of the Right to Request Remote Work Bill 2021 and the submission of the General Scheme to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment to seek early commencement of pre-legislative scrutiny.

I look forward to discussing this important proposal with the Joint Oireachtas Committee as soon as possible and the Bill will be progressed through the Oireachtas as quickly as possible thereafter.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.