Vol. 536 No. 6
162 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Finance his Department's policy on family-friendly work options; if he will report on which of the following are available to staff: flexitime; job sharing; job splitting; part-time work; term-time work; alternative work arrangements; career breaks; and the number of staff who are currently availing of each of these options. [15243/01]
The Department of Finance and the Civil Service has led the way in introducing family friendly policies in the workplace. In the Department of Finance, and throughout the Civil Service, staff can avail of a wide range of family friendly working arrangements. The available initiatives are: flexi-time, job sharing, term-time working, career breaks and paternity leave. It is hoped to introduce a work sharing scheme shortly which will significantly widen the range of part-time working options available to staff. Civil servants are also entitled to the benefits of the statutory schemes such as maternity, adoptive and parental leave.
A schedule is currently being compiled to show the numbers of staff who are currently availing of the various family friendly arrangements in place. The schedule which will be forwarded to the Deputy within the next few days will show the numbers for both the Department of Finance and the various Government offices under the aegis of the Department.
