Vol. 505 No. 4
140 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the plans, if any, in place to increase the availability of flexible working hours within his Department and in agencies under its auspices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14016/99]
A scheme of flexible working hours has been in operation in my Department for a number of years. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide a more flexible system of attendance for staff. This scheme is available to staff from clerical officer to higher executive officer level inclusive. The scheme is not available to staff at assistant principal level or above and there are no immediate plans to extend it to these grades. Currently about 2,700 staff are availing of the scheme. In addition, my Department is participating for the second year in the term time pilot for civil servants. This scheme provides for unpaid leave for the purpose of allowing working parents or primary carers to match their working arrangements to the main school summer holiday period of their children or to care for a person who resides with them and who has a disability of such nature as to give rise to the need for care on a continuing or frequent basis.
In the Pensions Board a scheme of flexible working hours is available to staff up to and including higher executive officer. The Combat Poverty Agency is currently operating a pilot scheme of flexible working hours. The National Social Services Board does not operate a formal scheme of flexible working hours.
