Everyone has spoken about and will continue to speak about the absolute advantages we have all seen and heard from those who have the capacity and ability to work remotey. There are huge logistical savings for people in relation to childcare when they are working from home, as Deputy Gould said. As Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh said, it is also about facilitating those with disabilities. A lot of work has to be done regarding access and facilitating people into work, but in certain circumstances, it would facilitate an awful lot of people going into employment. In fairness to the Deputy, she pointed out that one thing missing from Mayo in relation to its road to all-Ireland glory is remote working. I think the Minister of State, therefore, should have a particular interest in it. We all know about the gridlock that is happening, whether it is everybody leaving my town of Dundalk on the M1, with Google Maps on, not because they do not know the way to Dublin but because they want to check where there are going to be hold-ups, accidents or whatever else. People get forced to use the Port Tunnel for €14 just because they have run out of time on the road because there are too many people on it. It could also be anyone trying to drive round Dundalk on a Friday afternoon, because they will find that very difficult. Government TDs, however, have absolutely celebrated the amount of money that has been provided to Louth County Council. It is €10,810,650, and that is welcome, although it would be a lot more welcome if it was more than what the county council was given last year, which was €10,992,550. I assume that costs have not gone up at all in the last while. I would ask the Minister of State to convey to his Government partners that a request has been submitted by Louth County Council for €1.2 million to address damage done to roads from flooding. We all know about this. LMFM and everybody else has a pothole search at the minute, and it is not a very hard competition to engage in. Regarding remote working, there is no facilitation for cross-Border workers. Companies, employers and individuals, North or South, cannot now work from home. It is not allowed. We all saw that when PayPal closed its offices. There is a necessity for cross-Border engagement on this matter. A bilateral agreement then needs to be made with the British Government to facilitate this.

Sentiment score: 0.10

There is a lot of talk about a shared island, but we need to facilitate those in Border areas, in particular, and throughout this island who should be able to work remotely. As has been said before, a right to request remote working is not much of a right if it is always refused.

Sentiment score: -0.06