Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2020
646. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department has established a working from home policy for its employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13543/20]
View answerMy Department is committed to facilitating and supporting more sustainable ways of working, including eworking, across a range of policy areas. The introduction of an e-working policy for the Department itself was identified through the employee engagement process and was also an action under the Department’s Resource Efficiency Action Plan (2019), which recognises the positive impact e-working can have on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transport. An eworking policy has been in place in this Department since 2019. Up to March of 2020, 28 staff had availed of eworking.
Since 16 March 2020 all staff have been working remotely due to the Covid 19 pandemic and continue to do so in line with Government recommendations and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidance on working from home. A number of supports have been put in place to assist employees when working remotely including a remote working handbook, eLearning modules, wellbeing initiatives, resources from the Civil Service Employee Assistance Service and guidance on cyber security and data protection when working from home.
I understand that Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will shortly be issuing further guidelines on working from home during Covid-19 and has also commenced work on the development of a remote working policy for use in the civil service in the longer term.
