I thank the Deputies for introducing the Bill this morning and for giving us a chance to discuss a topic which I have discussed in this Chamber many times before. When I was thinking about the legislation as I was walking over here, I was reminded that the first case I took as a shop steward was for teleworking as we called it. It moved on to be e-working and now we call it remote and flexible working. The attitude of employers, as demonstrated by the Fine Gael Minister of State here this morning, was always the exact same: it is as if it is some sort of treat and something that workers can get if they are good but it was never going to be a right. I almost laughed when the Minister of State's predecessor brought in the right to request remote working - sure I had that in the last days of the last century. We could always request it but we did not have a right to have it fairly considered which is what workers need. Employers have consistently refused this but never advanced a single decent reason as to why. Sure they do not need to for as long as they have the old green Tories in place in government doing their work for them. Workers should, of course, have the right to remote working but workers are not stupid. The Minister of State expressed concern that people might look for it who would not be entitled to it. People who do jobs that are amenable to remote work should have the opportunity to do that. People who cannot are not stupid; if they are working in a job that does not facilitate remote work, they know exactly what that is like. Should this legislation proceed to the next Stage - the Minister of State has indicated fairly clearly he does not want it to which is very regrettable - I hope we will have the chance to include within it an amendment that Sinn Féin might table on the right to disconnect. Along with the right to remote work, there has to be a balance in terms of the right to disconnect for workers. I was somewhat disappointed to see that was not in this legislation but I appreciate that not every piece can be in every Bill. Workers should have the right to remote work. The Minister of State knows it well. Does he only work when he is sitting at his desk? No. He works in a variety of environments but he is not unique. Loads of workers can do that and all they need is the Government to get out of their way to give them that opportunity.

Sentiment score: 0.19