Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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442. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total number of persons who are employed by his Department; the number who are currently working remotely; and the estimated number of persons in his Department who ordinarily worked from home prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. [33975/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As of 20 June 2022, the Department currently employs 2,460 staff which comprises officers recruited and assigned at headquarters, posted officers, and local recruited staff in overseas missions.

A formal blended working policy has been agreed by the Management Board recently and aligns with the Blended Working Policy Framework for Civil Service organisations. This policy will launch once the application process that is being developed by the NSSO is in place.

Of the 1,567 staff who work at HQ, a detailed exercise is being carried out by management in line with the Department’s blended working policy to identify roles suitable for blended working. Those staff whose roles are deemed suitable for blended working arrangements will be permitted to work up to a maximum of 50% of their regular attendance pattern remotely over a 4 week period. 

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, 11 staff were formally availing of the Department’s e-working policy which permitted remote working up to 2 days per week.