Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

30. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which his Department has engaged with other Government agencies and Departments regarding divergence in employment standards North and South, particularly in relation to remote and flexible working; the impact on cross-border employers and workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49959/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Officials in my Department engage regularly with their counterparts in Northern Ireland to discuss a range of employment rights policy matters, including remote and flexible work.

I have also engaged across Government and with stakeholders on the North-South labour market through the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF). During our plenary meeting in April we discussed the potential to strengthen the all-island labour market for the benefit of employers and workers on the entire island.

Working within the LEEF structure, the LEEF Shared Island Working Group, which is chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, facilitates engagement, discussion, and information sharing amongst members on the Government’s Shared Island Initiative. The working group discusses aspects of the shared island policy agenda which are related to the LEEF’s focus on the labour market. The working group is considering potential priority actions and these proposed actions will be brought to the LEEF Plenary for consideration in due course.

My Department is also co-funding the Working in Ireland Survey, which is currently being carried out by University College Dublin. The survey investigates a variety of employment quality factors across the entire island of Ireland, including work-life balance. I understand that field work is almost complete and it is anticipated that reports on the survey will become available later this year.

It is a priority of Government to ensure safe working environments, fair treatment and fair wages for workers, contributing to quality jobs and improved work life balance, while also taking into consideration the need to minimise the costs of doing business.

Recent employment rights developments here include the Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025 and Protection of Employees (Employers' Insolvency) (Amendment) Bill 2025, which are both currently advancing through the legislative process. Important measures are also being introduced across Government including the pension auto-enrolment scheme and the transposition of the EU Pay Transparency Directive.

Officials in my Department will continue to engage with their counterparts in Northern Ireland to share important information and learnings on employment protections, including in the areas of remote and flexible working.