Legislative Reviews
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-28
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Alan Dillon (FG), Mayo

I thank the Deputy for her question.
There has been a significant and lasting shift in attitudes towards remote working in recent years. Central Statistics Office data show that nearly 1 million people were working from home, either usually or sometimes, in the fourth quarter of 2025 and that figure has remained broadly stable since the pandemic.
The national remote work strategy and Our Rural Future highlight the role remote working can play in expanding employment opportunities outside Ireland’s largest urban centres. The 2025 programme for Government reaffirms our commitment to this and recognises that flexible working arrangements can deliver economic, social and environmental benefits for workers and employers. Ireland was among the first in the EU to introduce a right to request remote working and this was commenced for all workers through the Work Life Balance Act 2024. The legislation is accompanied by a code of practice that provides guidance for employers and employees on how to comply with the legislation.
My Department recently concluded a statutory review of the operation of the right to request remote working legislation and a report of the review was laid before the Houses in early March. The findings of the review were informed by a nationally representative survey, a public consultation that received more than 8,000 responses and engagement with the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC. The review found that, when used, the legislation works effectively and that the majority of requests are approved either fully or partially, demonstrating that the legislation can facilitate compromise. The reported level of administrative burden is also low.
However, the key findings also looked at the challenges around awareness, with fewer than half of employees being aware of their right to request remote working. As with Ireland’s broader suite of employment legislation, the legislation will be kept under ongoing review. However, providing a right to request strikes the right balance between flexibility and the need for businesses to remain competitive, profitable and viable.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-28/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:52+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-28