Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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123. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the percentage of staff in his Department working from home for at least two days per week, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26554/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department’s Blended Working policy for staff in Ireland is framed within the context of the broader Civil Service Policy on Blended Working.

All officers who avail of blended working are required to attend the office at least 50% of the time, over a four week period. The specific arrangements of individual work patterns are agreed locally as part of the Blended Working Agreement.

As of 31 March this year, 45% of staff working across offices of the Department in Dublin, Limerick and Cork had approved blended working arrangement in place.

In considering these figures, it should be noted that for operational reasons only a limited cohort of the staff of the Passport Service can avail of blended working at present. The Department is actively working to increase the number of blended working opportunities within the Passport Service going forward.

While acknowledging that blended working may not be suitable in all cases, both from personal and organisational perspectives, the Department is committed to exploring available options while taking account of business needs.