Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 November 2004
87 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount of direct financial assistance provided in 2003 by the national framework committee on work-life balance policies to assist organisations in implementing work life balance initiatives; and the nature of those initiatives. [28479/04]
View answerOne of the tasks assigned to the national framework committee for work-life balance policies, when it was established under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness in 2000, was to support and facilitate the development of a package of practical measures that can be applied at the level of the enterprise. One such measure was the provision of direct financial assistance to organisations wishing to introduce or enhance work life balance policies.
The first request for applications for assistance issued in February 2002 following which eight organisations were chosen for funding. Total funding allocated was almost €158,000. The projects covered a wide range of issues from stress management to e-working pilot schemes. The organisations were from the private, public and voluntary sectors with a broad regional spread.
Six projects completed their activities in 2002 while two continued activity into 2003. These two projects received the final instalments of their allocated funding in 2003 amounting to €10,070. The first of these two projects involved the further investigation of the benefits-costs of flexible working arrangements and the possible increase in their utilisation by the business. This project also involved the provision of training to managers on how to use flexible work arrangements, and to employees on how to successfully work as an e-worker. The second project was a one-year pilot to enable a number of employees combine flexible office working hours and home-based teleworking.
A second request for applications for assistance was advertised by the committee in November 2003 following which seven organisations were chosen and funding of approx. €130,000 was allocated. Those projects are due for completion by the end of 2004.
