Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 April 2026
131. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the flexible working and remote working policies in place for civil servants in his Department; if there is any discrepancy in these policies based on seniority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28923/26]
View answer132. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the flexible working and remote working policies in place for staff that work for any agencies under the remit of his Department; if there is any discrepancy in these policies based on seniority; if this policy is under the control of the agency itself or if it is directed by the Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28941/26]
View answer133. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if any review is ongoing in relation his Department’s policy on flexible working and remote working for civil servants in his Department, particularly in the context of increased fuel prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28959/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 131, 132 and 133 together.
My Department operates a Blended Working Policy, introduced in June 2022, which was developed based on the centrally agreed Framework for Blended Working in Civil Service Organisations.
Under the policy, blended working is available to staff with suitable roles, satisfactory performance, and appropriate remote workstations. The blended working model used in my Department specifies three days per week working in the office and two days per week working from home, with a flexible option of two days per week in the office and three days per week working from home. This flexibility is at the discretion of the Head of Business Unit and takes account of business needs to ensure service delivery and support organisational cohesion.
In my Department, 81.3% of staff are approved for blended working. The blended working policy applies across all grades, and there is no differentiation based on seniority.
No review is ongoing in relation to my Department’s policy on flexible or remote working, including in the context of increased fuel prices.
In 2025, the Department completed an evaluation of the operation of blended working arrangements under the policy in place since 2022, to assess how the policy was working in practice and to inform improvements in its implementation.
In line with the policy, blended working arrangements operate subject to business needs, which are of paramount importance.
Flexible and remote working policies in place for staff of bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each agency to facilitate the provision of information by State bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The relevant contact email addresses for each agency, to which members may address queries, are set out in the following table:
|
Bodies under the Aegis of DHLGH |
Oireachtas email |
|
An Coimisiún Pleanála |
oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie |
|
An Fóram Uisce |
oireachtas@nationalwaterforum.ie |
|
Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority |
oireachtasqueries@ahbregulator.ie |
|
Construction Industry Register Ireland |
info@ciri.ie |
|
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum |
infodocklands@dublincity.ie |
|
Gas Networks Ireland |
oireachtas@gasnetworks.ie |
|
Heritage Council |
oireachtas@heritagecouncil.ie |
|
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency |
Oireachtas@housingagency.ie |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie |
|
Land Development Agency |
oireachtas@lda.ie |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
oireachtasmemberqueries@lgma.ie |
|
National Oversight and Audit Commission |
oireachtas@noac.ie |
|
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee |
ntacc@housing.gov.ie |
|
Office of the Planning Regulator |
oireachtas@opr.ie |
|
Property Services Appeal Board |
psabsecretary@psab.ie |
|
Property Services Regulatory Authority |
pq@psr.ie |
|
Pyrite Resolution Board |
oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie |
|
Tailte Éireann |
Oireachtas@tailte.ie |
|
Uisce Éireann |
oireachtasmembers@water.ie |
|
Valuation Tribunal |
|
|
Waterways Ireland |
