Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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192. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will address the concerns regarding remote work and rural communities, raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67668/25]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The National Remote Work Strategy, 'Making Remote Work', was launched 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.

However, Government cannot dictate terms agreed between an employee and employer. Providing a right to request supports and facilitates remote working in Ireland, and at the same time, supports a productive and competitive business environment.

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 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 this review, I launched a public consultation on 18 November, which I note your constituent has responded to. Responses to the public consultation will inform a final report of the review, which will be laid before each House of the Oireachtas in March 2026. The consultation is currently available on my Department’s website and will close on 9 December. This is an important statutory review and I welcome as much engagement as possible with the public consultation.

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 400 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.