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Departmental Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 July 2021

Thursday, 1 July 2021

Ceisteanna (184)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

184. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff in her Department that are working remotely on a permanent basis; the number working from home; the number working from a remote hub; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34169/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As an essential service, staff in my Department have continued, throughout the pandemic, to work both on site in office premises and remotely to deliver for our customers. The number of staff who are working remotely at any one time is approximately 3,300 which is 50% of the total staffing number and has remained relatively constant through the Covid-19 restrictions. Staff who must attend the office as they are delivering services that cannot be done remotely comply with all public health guidance and with the Covid-19 Work Safely Protocol.Staff members who are working remotely may be doing so for all of their normal working hours or they may be working on a blended basis, where a portion of their normal working hours is spent working remotely and a portion of their working hours is spent attending the work premises. Staff attending the office and staff working remotely have at times been rotated, depending on the requirements of the work, but always in accordance with public health guidelines. As the Department has over 250 office locations, staff may also avail of a location alternative to their normal office base and use it as a hub location from which to work. This arrangement may be appropriate for some staff in cases where working from home is not conducive to fulfilling their role but their work can be done remotely. Any such arrangements must comply with the restrictions on staff numbers in office locations. Prior to the pandemic, staff working remotely in my Department was infrequent and on an ad hoc basis and all the remote working arrangements currently in place are in the context of the restrictions arising from Covid-19 public health guidance. My Department is now looking beyond the arrangements which have been necessary over the past 15 months and to implementing options for remote working patterns as a permanent feature in the workplace, taking account of business needs. It is important also not to conflate the experience of homeworking during the COVID-19 pandemic with remote working under a more normal or regular scenario, and this is why it is important to develop a policy for the longer term. As outlined in “Making Remote Work, the National Strategy for Remote Working”, published by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment earlier this year, there are multiple benefits that can be derived from remote work which will help to achieve numerous public policy objectives. These benefits include increasing participation in the labour market, attracting and retaining talent, enabling balanced regional development, alleviating accommodation pressures, improving work/life balance, improving child and family wellbeing, reducing the amount of time spent commuting, and reducing transport related carbon emissions and air pollution. However, the increased adoption of remote work is not without challenges, and can be linked with negative effects on mental health, for example, and some staff may be experiencing feelings of isolation, loneliness and stress.My Department’s policy will take account of the experience of remote working to date and will be developed in line with a framework of guiding principles from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform which will inform content for all civil service Departments, when finalised.

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