Fine Gael wants to hear the views of people in Mayo on remote working - during an online event, to be attended by An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, TD, and Alan Dillon, TD.
Mayo Deputy Alan Dillion is encouraging constituents to register online and take part in the discussion on remote working, which will take place on Tuesday, April 20 at 8pm.
This is the fourth meeting in a series of online events taking place under the brand “Shape Your Future” - which is being organised by Fine Gael.
The party would like to hear the views of members of the public on a range of issues and encourage engagement between them and their local representatives.
Speaking ahead of the event, Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Leo Varadkar, said: "We want remote and flexible working to be a much bigger part of life after Covid.
"The pandemic has demonstrated what is possible and the Government is now putting in place the necessary laws, codes of practice and incentives to make it a more viable option in the long-term.
"We know that while the requirement to work from home has been welcome for many, others have found it challenging, so we are keen to get the balance right and will be prioritising flexibility and what works best for the individual employee and employer.
"This discussion is a great opportunity to share your experience and hear about the Government’s plans as we incorporate what we have learned over the past year and plan for what the world of work will look like when the pandemic ends."
Deputy Dillon said: "I am delighted to have the opportunity to host this Shape your Future event with my colleague, An Tánaiste, Leo Varadkar, to discuss remote working.
"While he would very much enjoy attending an in-person public meeting in Mayo, it is obviously not possible to do so during the current Public Health restrictions.
"The aim of this meeting is to discuss the future possibilities of remote and flexible working for county Mayo. Never before has an opportunity with this level of potential for Mayo presented itself. We must grab it with no hesitation and fully utilise the timing of the rollout of the National Broadband Plan.
"The new plan for rural development, Our Rural Future, will tie in with the National Remote Work Strategy, Making Remote Work. The time is truly ripe for bringing about a revitalisation of the western region and shaping the future you want.
"For instance, the vast majority of Broadband Connection Points (BCPs ) in Mayo are now connected as part of the National Broadband Plan.
"As one of the initiatives I am developing to increase the speed and availability of high-speed broadband in Mayo, I want to ensure the €5 million allocated for 2021 to the Town and Village Renewal Scheme this year, will support our BCPs. This is a significant increase on the €780,000 allocated during 2020.
"Before Easter, I had the opportunity to meet with management of National Broadband Ireland to get an update on the rollout of the National Broadband Plan in Mayo. They will be responsible for bringing high-speed broadband to over 36,000 premises in Mayo, or 44 per cent of all premises in the county.
"Following the meeting, I am happy to confirm that all but one of the BCPs planned for Mayo are now operational, with the final BCP to go live in the near future.
"This event is an opportunity for people to have their voices heard on remote working and I would encourage people to register for the event on the Fine Gael website. We have had over €11 million in urban regeneration funding announced recently for Castlebar and there will be future rounds of urban and rural regeneration for other parts of Mayo.
"This Government is putting its money where its mouth is on our commitment to rural Ireland. I invite you to join us for an online public meeting so we can shape that future together. Visit https://www.finegael.ie/shapeyourfuture/mayo/ to register your attendance."
