Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 February 2023
99. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps he is taking to assist private sector employers to support employees working from home and digital co-working hubs in local towns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2048/23]
View answerWe are running through questions at an awful rate. What are we doing to assist workers to work from home and in co-working hubs?
As referred to earlier, the regional enterprise plans have identified from within our Department significant opportunities for workers within hubs and in terms of support from home. Support through the national broadband plan, with which the Deputy will be familiar, in terms of strengthening the capacity of the plan to assist workers to work from home throughout the country, is a priority. The roll-out is continuing to ensure we get the appropriate and the most advanced fibre to as many locations as possible to encourage this to continue.
The reason I tabled this question is that we are bringing fibre into homes, and that is very positive and it is happening throughout the country. However, there will be issues in terms of health and safety for employers, which is encouraging some employers to bring people back into the office. I think the solution to all this is a hybrid mechanism in order that people do not work at home on their own. Along with the health and safety issues, there are mental health issues associated with that. However, bringing workers into a hub reduces the need for them to commute long distances to work and reduces the need for the employer to bring them physically into work while addressing those concerns. There is an opportunity there to reconstitute digital hubs as hybrid locations, meeting the needs not just of small and medium-sized businesses but of multinational businesses as well. It provides us with an opportunity to create a niche where we have people coming together and coming up with new, innovative ideas which will drive the innovative solutions of the future.
Absolutely. I agree with the Deputy on the hubs structure. As he will know, the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is leading out a connected hubs network to ensure the digital hubs are developing around the country, have a connection to one another and can be used in exactly the manner the Deputy has outlined.
It is important that we cannot dictate to employers how they arrange employment opportunities. The Deputy touched on a very good issue with regard to the appropriateness of a hybrid mix for the benefit of both employees and employers. Many employers are finding their way around that system as the year progresses.
Does Deputy Naughten wish to comment further?
No. I thank the Minister of State.
