Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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67. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the actions his Department is taking to encourage remote, flexible and hybrid working arrangements to support businesses and employees in adopting remote and retaining remote working patterns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62288/25]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Government launched the National Remote Work Strategy, 'Making Remote Work', in January 2021. The Strategy identified 15 actions to be undertaken to ensure that remote work is a permanent feature of the Irish workplace and all of these actions have been successfully delivered. The Programme for Government re-affirms the commitment to promoting flexible working arrangements that benefit both workers and employers and Government is committed to facilitating remote and flexible working in a way which maximises economic, social and environmental benefits.

The right to request a remote working arrangement has been available to all employees under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 since the 6th of March 2024.

The Act acknowledges the global transformation in work practices brought about by remote working during the Covid-19 pandemic. This shift fundamentally changed the way many of us work, and the provision of this statutory framework was extremely timely. Providing a right to request supports and facilitates remote working in Ireland, and at the same time, supports a productive and competitive business environment.

The legislation is accompanied by a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) Code of Practice on the Right to Request Flexible and Remote Working Arrangements. This Code was developed in consultation with the social partners and provides practical guidance to both employers and employees to support compliance with the legislation. The Code of Practice on the Right to Disconnect was also developed by the WRC in April 2021.

As required by Section 29 of the legislation, my Department has recently commenced a review of the operation of the remote working provisions of the Act. The purpose of this review is to assess the effectiveness of the legislation in providing the new entitlements, to evaluate the clarity of the legislation and to identify any unintended consequences of the legislation.

Remote work plays a vital role in broadening access to the labour market, reducing commuting times, and allowing people to spend more time with their families. Ensuring that the legislation underpinning remote work is effective is key to supporting these benefits.

As part of the review, I will shortly launch a public consultation on the operation of the remote working provisions of the Act. The findings of this review will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in March next year.

In addition to this work, Government has developed and introduced a suite of policies and supports for remote working, including:

•The Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, together with my Department, is leading the development of a National Hub Strategy which will inform the future direction of the National Hub Network. The National Hub Network, facilitated by the connectedhubs.ie platform, was launched in 2021. Underpinned by significant Government investment, there are currently 393 facilities across the country on-boarded to the online platform.

•The Working in Ireland Survey, which is co-funded by my Department, 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.

•The Department of Taoiseach has also requested that the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) undertake research into the Evolution and Impact of Remote and Hybrid Working in Ireland. A working group has been established to oversee the research, which is expected be completed by mid-2026.

•Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy sets ambitious targets for the continued development of the digital infrastructure which enables successful remote working in Ireland. The Programme for Government sets a number of targets which include the completion of the installation of high-speed fibre broadband to 1.1 million people, including homes, farms, and businesses nationwide, by 2026.

•An income tax deduction for people working from home.

The right to a request flexible working arrangement, such as adjusted working patterns or reduced hours, is available to parents and carers under the Work Life Balance Act. The flexible working provisions of the Act are under the remit of the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.