18th November 2025
The Minister of State for Employment, Small Business and Retail, Alan Dillon, has today announced a public consultation seeking the views of members of the public, employers and other interested parties on the right to request a remote working arrangement, provided for within the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023.
The right to request a remote working arrangement came into force for all employees on 6 March 2024. This marked a significant step forward in workplace entitlements and introduced a legislative framework that reflects the evolving nature of work in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As required by the Act, a legislative review of the operation of the remote working provisions must be carried out not earlier than one year and not later than two years following the commencement of the legislation. As part of this review, Minister Dillon has launched a public consultation to gather views on the effectiveness of the legislation in providing the new entitlements, to evaluate the clarity of the legislation and to identify any unintended consequences of the legislation.
In announcing the launch of the public consultation Minister Dillon said:
“I am pleased to announce the launch of a public consultation on our remote work legislation. This is an important opportunity to hear directly from members of the public, employers and other stakeholders about how the legislation is operating in practice, whether it is clear and accessible, and whether it has presented any challenges or unintended consequences.
Remote work plays a vital role in broadening access to the labour market, reducing commuting times, and allowing people to spend more time with their families. Ensuring that the legislation underpinning the right to request remote work is effective and responsive is key to supporting these benefits. Remote working also contributes to reducing traffic congestion and lowering greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing the need for the daily commuting. I encourage all interested parties to share their views and help shape the future of remote work in our country.”
Speaking about the review, the Minister the Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, said:
“The way we work has changed dramatically in recent years, and remote working is a key part of that transformation. Now that the legislation has been in place for almost two years, this review is about assessing how it is operating in practice. By engaging with this consultation, members of the public, employees, employers and other interested parties can help us ensure the legislation is functioning as intended and delivering on its objectives in a fair and balanced way for both employees and employers. We want to ensure the legislation is supporting a modern and flexible working environment that strengthens Ireland’s position as a great place to live and work.”
The public consultation can be accessed here.
Submissions are requested no later than 3pm on 9th December 2025.
Notes to Editor
The right to request a remote working arrangement was integrated into the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 (WLB Act 2023), which was enacted on 4 April 2023. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality is the lead Department for the Act, which also provides the right to request flexible working arrangements for parents and carers. The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) included provisions within the Act in relation to the right to request remote working arrangements and a Code of Practice, which was developed by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
The legislation does not provide a direct right to work remotely. It provides a right to request and sets out requirements including how a request must be made, considerations both the employer and employee must take into account, timelines and referrals to the WRC.
The right to request a remote working arrangement was commenced on 6 March 2024 and is contained in Part 3 of the Act. Section 29 of the Act requires that a review of the operation of the Part 3 is completed not earlier than one year and not later than 2 years after the commencement of Part 3. A final report of the review will be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.
Ensuring that this legislation remains up to date and fit for purpose supports the Programme for Government commitment to promote flexible working arrangements that benefit both workers and employers, ensuring a balanced approach.
ENDS
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