As our country continues to navigate Covid-19, remote working has become more important than ever before.
In December 2019, my Department published the Remote Work in Ireland report which outlined the prevalence and types of remote working arrangements in Ireland as well as the factors influencing its adoption. This year, as a response to COVID-19, my Department launched a new webpage dedicated to providing guidance for remote working for both employers and employees.
In July, my Department launched a Public Consultation on Remote Work. We received 522 submissions from employers, employees, representative bodies and special interest groups. Based on the insights garnered from the consultation, my Department has recently updated its guidance webpage to include new information. The guidance webpage now also includes a checklist for employers considering adopting remote working arrangements in the longer term. The guidance webpage will continue to be updated regularly to act as a live resource for employers and employees.
Building on this work, my Department is currently developing a national Remote Work Strategy. An Interdepartmental Group (IDG) was formed to steer the delivery of the Strategy. This Group has broad representation across government departments and state agencies. The Strategy will consider what changes are needed to develop an environment that encourages remote working solutions. The Strategy will include a suite of actions to be delivered and an Implementation Group will monitor the progress of these actions.
It is expected that the Strategy will be published shortly.
