Emer Currie
Ceist:40. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for an update on the creation of a national strategy to attract fully locationless remote jobs to Ireland. [13313/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 19 February 2026
Ceisteanna (40)
Freagraí scríofa
I take it that the Deputy is referring to recent proposals from Grow Remote in relation to the possibility of developing a strategy to attract proportion of the significant number of fully remote location-less jobs advertised internationally each month to Ireland, with these representing a potential pool of high-value employment with significant benefits for the country.
I share the Deputy’s view that remote working represents a significant opportunity for creating a more inclusive labour market through enabling enhanced access to high-quality job opportunities for workers in their home communities. This in turn provides employers with access to a larger talent pool, with remote and flexible working options representing powerful tools for staff recruitment and retention, improving labour market performance and regional economic balance overall.
As the Deputy is aware, the Government is committed to facilitating remote working in a way which maximises its economic, social and environmental benefits, and my Department worked with colleagues across Government to develop and oversee the successful delivery of all 15 actions outlined in the 2021 National Remote Work Strategy.
These actions include legislating for the right of all workers to request a remote working arrangement through the Work Life Balance Act 2023, the introduction of an enhanced income tax deduction for people working from home significant investment in Ireland’s national network of remote working hubs.
Programme for Government 2025, Securing Ireland’s Future, re-affirms this commitment to promoting flexible working arrangements that benefit both workers and employers.
It is in this context that I welcome Grow Remote’s proposals. Indeed, as the Deputy will recall, I met with representatives of Grow Remote last Autumn during which we had had a productive discussion on the potential of a national strategy to attract location-less remote jobs to Ireland and the possibility of establishing a dedicated unit within my Department or one its agencies to oversee delivery of this.
I understand that Grow Remote committed to develop a detailed policy proposal to inform further consideration of these ideas within my Department and its agencies and that this proposal is currently in the process of being drafted with the assistance of officials in my Department. I look forward to discussing these matters further once this proposal has been finalised.