My Department is currently working in line with Government COVID-19 guidance, which provides for home working to continue where possible. The vast majority of staff of my Department have worked remotely since the end of March 2020. These staff are continuing to work from home; however, a staggered return to workplaces under ongoing public health restrictions has commenced from 20 September, as provided for in recently updated Government guidance.
In respect of the longer-term, a central policy framework for Blended Working in the Civil Service will be finalised in conjunction with employee representatives over the coming months. This framework will ensure a consistency of approach across Government Departments and Offices and will inform the development of organisation level blended working policies tailored to the specific requirements of my Department.
My Department, in line with its ICT strategy, has adopted the Build to Share (BTS) Managed Desktop shared service provided by OGCIO – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer. Further, the Met Éireann Division of my Department provided laptops, monitors and accessories for staff to facilitate remote/hybrid working during the pandemic. As a result, staff have access to remote video conferencing and have the capacity to work remotely when required.
