Vol. 536 No. 6
140 Ms Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her Department's policy on family-friendly work options; if she 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. [15237/01]
My Department chairs and is actively involved in the national framework committee or NFC under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. The NFC comprises representatives from ICTU, IBEC, the Equality Authority and Government Departments. Through the NFC my Department has been to the forefront of implementing family friendly policies and initiatives such as parental leave, term time leave and teleworking. I launched a website, www.familyfriendly.ie on family friendly workplace day, 1 March 2001. This website provides excellent information and guidelines on family friendly working arrangements. I have also established a dedicated work options unit in the personnel section of my Department to administer and promote family friendly initiatives throughout the Department. The following table details the family friendly schemes that are available to staff in my Department and the number of staff currently availing of each scheme.
|
Working Arrangement |
Number of Staff Participating |
|
(i)Flexi-time |
720 Staff currently on Flexi-Time |
|
(ii)Job-Sharing |
88 Staff currently Job-Sharing |
|
(iii)Job-Splitting(iv)Part-Time Work |
The Worksharing scheme will be introduced shortly and significantly widens the range of part-time working available to staff |
|
(v)Term-Time Work |
11 Staff will be taking Term Time Leave |
|
(vi)Alternative WorkArrangement |
14 Staff currently on Parental Leave |
|
(vii)Career Breaks |
56 Staff currently on Career Breaks |
141 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources 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; and career-breaks; and the number of staff who are currently availing of each of these options. [15238/01]
My Department is fully committed to a proactive policy of family-friendly work options for staff to allow them to balance work and domestic commitments.
The option of flexible working hours is availed of by 200 staff in my Department. There are currently 39 officers availing of the job sharing scheme. In addition to this term-time is being introduced in my Department this summer and three officers are taking up this scheme. There are currently 21 officers on career break. The work sharing option is being progressed in my Department and when this scheme is in place each application will be considered on its individual merit.
