The widespread disruption and traffic chaos caused by EU Presidency events in Dublin this week highlight the glaring gaps in Ireland’s remote working legislation, according to Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney.
Gibney serves as the party’s spokesperson on enterprise and employment, said “with key routes into Dublin closed off to facilitate the EU summit, it makes no sense to expect workers to make needless journeys into the city centre.”
“Fine Gael likes to boast about being the party that supports those who get up early in the morning, yet the government failed to directly appeal to employers to allow staff to work from home, where possible, for the week that’s in it,” the Dublin Rathdown TD remarked.
“While the traffic restrictions are unavoidable for security reasons, it is madness to ask people to put up with the misery of even longer commutes than normal. Instead of working from home, many are stuck in their cars or forced to endure crammed conditions on Luas, bus and rail services.
The Soc Dems TD said “it is all part of a worrying trend that has seen more and more employers instructing staff to return to the office after previously allowing them the flexibility to work from home. This is eroding workers’ quality of life and adding to traffic gridlock, with congestion costing the state up to half a billion euros every year.”
“The problem is that our existing laws on remote working remain laughably weak. Current legislation does not require a business reason for an employer to refuse a request to work from home when insisting on in-person attendance,” she said.
“That is why I have introduced a Bill that creates an actual right to remote and flexible working arrangements, based on objective criteria. We badly require laws that allow for business needs to be met while allowing employees to reclaim the wasted hours they lose commuting every week,” Gibney explained.