Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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555. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons working from home or by way of other arrangement arising from Covid-19 throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39313/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The total number of persons employed by my Department as at 30 April, 2022 is 6,781, which includes staff on temporary contract. 

The number of staff who have been working remotely across business areas of my Department since March 2020 has been approximately 50% of the total staffing number, although this figure will have changed in more recent months, as restrictions have lifted, permitting more on site and in-person engagement.  

My Department will shortly implement a formal blended working policy and staff may apply for a blended working pattern with attendance both in the office and remotely, subject to role suitability and other conditions. 

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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556. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the degree to which she and her Department have responded and continue to respond to challenges arising from Covid-19 such as arrangements to work from home or hubs in both the public and private sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39314/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Civil Service Departments and Offices have been responsive to and have been working in line with Government Covid-19 guidance.

As an essential service, staff in my Department have continued, throughout the pandemic, to work both on site and remotely to deliver services to our customers. The number of staff who are working remotely at any one time across all business areas of the Department is approximately 50% of the total staffing number and has remained relatively constant throughout the pandemic, as part of temporary working arrangements put in place by local business areas.  It is necessary for staff providing front line customer services to do so in-person at office locations.      

The Blended Working Policy Framework for Civil Service Organisations was published in March 2022 and has informed the development of the recently published Blended Working Policy for my Department. This policy will introduce a formal structure of blended working rather than the temporary arrangements that have been in place over the past 2 years and will offer, subject to role suitability, a combination of working from a primary office location and working remotely, either from a home location or possibly from a hub office of the Department (offices sited in over 250 locations) , where availability permits. It is intended that this policy will be implemented from September.