David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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975. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the current policy with respect to remote working options for staff in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18172/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Rural and Community Developmentwas established on 19th July 2017 to provide a renewed and consolidated focus on rural and community development in Ireland.

My Department welcomes the publication of the “Blended Working Policy Framework for Civil Service Organisations” by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on Thursday 31st March 2022. This framework will support regional balance within the civil service workforce and provide flexibility for its workers including those in rural Ireland.

From 4th of April 2022, the majority of staff within my Department are office based, two days per week. More frequent attendance occurs subject to business exigencies. The Department will be putting in place a sub-group to develop and implement its own blended working policy, in line with the published framework, with a view to having it in place and ready for implementation by the end of June 2022.