Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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254. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of persons employed in his Department that have a formal agreement to work from home one day per week, two days per week and five days per week; his Department’s policy in respect of facilitating requests by persons to work from home; and the number of persons that have made requests to work from home in 2021 and to date in 2022, that have been declined. [44575/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department, in line with other civil and public service organisations, has adhered to public health advice and to the Guidance for Public Service Employers published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This has meant employees working from home, but also attending the workplace to carry out essential work that cannot be discharged from home.

A central government policy, the Civil Service Blended Working Framework was launched by Minister Michael McGrath and Minister Ossian Smyth on 31st March 2022. The Blended Working Policy Framework provides an overarching framework to inform the development of blended working policies in Government Departments and Offices and to ensure a consistency of approach across the Public Service. In recent months, in line with this framework, my Department finalised its Blended Working Policy tailored to the specific business needs of my Department. This policy allows for employees to apply, through the centralised online application system facilitated by the National Shared Services Organisation, for three days remote working each week.

My Department has now, this month, opened up the application process for blended working and formal agreements are currently being considered.

There were no formal requests to work from home in 2021 or in 2022 to date. Prior to the finalisation of the Blended Working Policy, remote working and office attendance took place in line with public health advice.