Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 June 2022
812. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the total number of persons who are employed by his Department; the number who are currently working remotely; and the estimated number of persons in his Department who ordinarily worked from home prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. [33977/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs of 31 May 2022, there were 667 employees (649.5 FTEs) employed in the Department of Health.
The Department is operating under the guidance of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to remote working in line with relevant Government decisions. At the present time during the transition to formal blended working this year, all employees of the Department are required to work on-site for a minimum of two days per week, unless business requirements for particular roles require them to be on-site more frequently. It is also open to those who choose to do so, to work on-site for more than two days per week.
The Department, in line with all other Government Departments, has been developing and will implement its own Blended Working Policy in the coming weeks and months , based on the Blended Working Policy Framework for the Civil Service. The framework can be accessed at the link below.
www.gov.ie/en/publication/da010-blended-working-policy-framework-for-civil-service-organisations/
Prior to the pandemic, the Department did not have a formal remote or blended working policy and all staff worked onsite at Miesian Plaza or, as appropriate, in the relevant premises for those staff assigned to work with commissions of investigation or tribunals under the aegis of the Department.
