Departmental Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 January 2024

Wednesday, 24 January 2024

Questions (102)

Ged Nash

Question:

102. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to provide figures for the number of staff directly employed in agencies and bodies directly under his aegis who work from home/remotely as part of their working week; the percentage of staff on an overall basis who work from home at least one day a week; the number of working hours on average per week that staff in relevant agencies and bodies work from home; the gender breakdown of those who avail of the opportunity to work from home/remotely; if he will provide the figures for 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3261/24]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform

The information requested by the Deputy, which was provided by the bodies under the aegis of my Department, is outlined in the table below.  The State Laboratory will write to the Deputy directly to provide the information sought in respect of that body.

Name of Public Body	Year	Number of staff directly employed	Percentage of staff who work at least one day a week remotely	Number of working hours on average per week that staff work from home	Gender Breakdown  of those who work remotely
OPW Operational*	2022	1,231	3.2%	15.6 hours	Female – 61.5% Male – 37.5% Unknown – 1%
OPW Operational*	2023	1,269	3.6%	15.6 hours	Female – 63% Male – 37%
OPW Established*	2022	892	78.2%	21.5 hours	Female – 49% Male – 51%
OPW Established*	2023	1,003	71.9%	21.6 hours	Female – 51% Male – 49%
Office of the Ombudsman**	2022	155	96.8%	17.5 hours	Female – 57% Male – 43%
Office of the Ombudsman**	2023	156	96.8%	17.5 hours	Female – 53% Male – 47%
Public Appointment Service	2022	283	99%	21 hours	Female – 62% Male – 37% Unknown (1%)
Public Appointment Service	2023	311	99%	21 hours	Female – 62% Male – 37% Unknown (1%)
National Shared Services Office	2022	827	85.5%	28.4 hours	Female –70% Male – 30%
National Shared Services Office	2023	820	87.4%	28 hours	Female – 70% Male –30%
Office of the National Lottery Regulator	2022	11	91%	24.5 hours	Female – 70% Male – 30%
Office of the National Lottery Regulator	2023	11	91%	21 hours	Female – 70% Male – 30%

* OPW Operational Staff are State Industrial Staff whose roles are largely outdoors as Guides, Gardeners, Arterial Drainage/Maintenance Staff and their roles cannot be done remotely.  OPW Established Staff are largely office or depot based and their roles can be effectively carried out remotely. The two groups are reported separately due to the unique staffing composition of the OPW.

** The Office of the Ombudsman comprises the Office of the Ombudsman, the Standards in Public Office Commission, the Commission for Public Service Appointments, the Office of the Information Commissioner, the Commissioner for Environmental Information and the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner.