Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 October 2019
162. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the plans being developed regarding the rules in relation to the right to disconnect from work and to encompass a more flexible working approach and work life balance; and when the study arising from the Remote Working Consultation Forum will be completed and published. [41550/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department and I understand the growing importance of promoting a good work-life balance for employees as new ways of working emerge. This is addressed under Pillar 4 of our Future Jobs Ireland strategy. Pillar 4 is focused on increasing participation in the labour force as this will lead to the more equitable, balanced and sustainable development of Ireland’s economy.
Ambition 4.2 under Pillar 4 of this strategy is to foster participation through flexible working solutions. This includes several deliverables aimed at promoting flexible working, including the production of guidelines for employers on flexible and family-friendly working options. Flexible working encompasses a wide range of practices including part-time, compressed hours, job sharing, home-working and remote working. Such solutions allow for tangible benefits for employees including improving their work life balance. It also provides solutions for those who would otherwise take unpaid parental leave but cannot afford to do so.
A key deliverable under this ambition is the completion of research on remote working. My Department is currently leading on this research which will focus on understanding the prevalence and types of remote working arrangements within the Irish workforce and the attitudes towards such arrangements. The research will identify the influencing factors for both employers and employees partaking in remote working. The final report will also include an international policy review which will consider related policies abroad, such as the right to disconnect in France. This will help to inform future policy on remote work.
To guide this work, an Interdepartmental Steering Group has been formed with representatives across Government departments. The study will include desk research, identification of key data sources and one-on-one consultation with key stakeholders. The results of the Remote Working Consultation Forum, which I hosted in Cavan Digital Hub in July, will further inform this research.
The final report will be completed in Q4 of this year.
