Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2020
613. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has established a working from home policy for its employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13540/20]
View answerIt is my understanding that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has developed guidelines for civil service organisations (Working from Home during COVID-19 – Guidance for Civil Service Organisations), which is intended to assist civil service organisations as long as necessary to address the health and safety risks of COVID-19. These guidelines issued to HR Divisions across the Civil Service recently.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has also commenced work on the development of a remote working policy which will address remote working in the longer term for the Civil Service.
Policies with respect to remote working for my Department will be framed in the context of these guidelines and policies, whilst taking into account all the experience and innovation captured internally during the course of the current COVID 19 pandemic. This learning will be assessed for its applicability to a more broadly based remote working policy that is consistent with the Department's overall HR Strategy and the People Strategy for the Civil Service.
