Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil dragging workers backwards on remote work
Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil dragging workers backwards on remote work - The Labour Party
- Government to oppose Labour Bill to end employer veto on remote work
Labour enterprise spokesperson George Lawlor TD today slammed the Government for confirming it will oppose Labour’s Work Life Balance (Right to Remote Work) Bill 2026 during Labour’s Private Members’ Time in the Dáil, warning that workers are being abandoned as housing, transport and climate pressures intensify.
Speaking in Leinster House, Deputy Lawlor said Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are actively choosing employer control and delay over workers’ rights, and called on the Government to immediately reverse its position and support Labour’s legislation to deliver a real, enforceable right to remote work where roles allow.
Deputy Lawlor said:
“Ireland’s world of work has changed, but our laws have not. As housing costs spiral, commutes lengthen and climate pressures shape everyday decisions, this Government continues to cling to a model of work that no longer reflects reality. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have hardwired hesitation and employer vetoes into law, creating a system that talks about modern work while quietly forcing people back into habits that no longer make sense.
“Government claims it is opposing this Bill in the name of flexibility. That argument is completely disingenuous. What it is really defending is a hands off approach that leaves all the power with employers and none with workers. That is not flexibility. It is a refusal to act. It allows employers to say no by default, no matter how unreasonable or outdated the justification.
“We are also told that this Bill cannot proceed because of technical arguments about the Workplace Relations Commission. That is a convenient excuse. The WRC’s limited role exists because the Government chose to design it that way. It can only check whether an employer followed a process, not whether a job can actually be done remotely or whether a refusal makes sense. Workers are expected to accept a system that was deliberately stripped of any real teeth.
“The third excuse is that a statutory review will happen at some point in the future. That shows how out of touch this Government is with what is happening on the ground right now. Workers are being dragged back into offices today. They are facing longer commutes, higher childcare costs and mounting stress now. Telling people to wait for a review while their flexibility is actively taken away is not a solution. It is a dodge.
“Our current approach rests on the outdated belief that Ireland still operates as it did decades ago, when homes were affordable, commutes were manageable and people had real choice about where they lived. That world is gone. Today’s workforce relies on digital tools and flexible arrangements, yet Government policy keeps dragging workers backwards.
“This retreat is deeply short sighted. It ignores the housing crisis, worsens congestion and undermines our climate commitments. It forces longer commutes and higher costs for no proven economic gain. Worse still, it signals a lack of trust in workers and an obsession with control rather than outcomes.
“That is why Labour has brought forward the Work Life Balance (Right to Remote Work) Bill 2026. Our legislation would give workers a clear and enforceable right to work remotely where their role allows. It would end refusals based on habit, suspicion or managerial whim. Flexibility should never depend on the mood of a manager. It should be protected in law.
“We already know flexible working works. It has opened up employment for carers, people with disabilities and those living outside major cities. For many workers, flexibility is not a perk. It is the difference between being able to stay in work and being pushed out altogether. There is no credible evidence that forcing people back into offices improves performance, but there is clear evidence that it damages wellbeing and retention.
“Despite this, we are seeing an aggressive push to haul people back into offices without justification. Workers who reorganised their lives in good faith are now being told that flexibility was temporary and conditional. That exposes just how weak current protections really are.
“This Government’s opposition to Labour’s Bill is not cautious or balanced. It is a political choice to side with employer vetoes over workers’ lives. At a time when skilled workers have options, refusing to modernise our labour laws is economically reckless and socially damaging. Labour’s Bill offers a clear alternative that expands participation, supports regional communities and aligns with our climate goals. The Government must stop hiding behind excuses, abandon its opposition, and support Labour’s legislation to give workers real rights, real certainty and real balance in their working lives.”