A Historic Day in the Dáil
21 January 2026: Remote work dominated the debate
On Tuesday 21 January 2026, remote work received more airtime in the Dáil than ever before. Thirty-one TDs from across the political spectrum stood up to speak about flexible and remote work, making it the most significant parliamentary moment for this issue in Irish history.
The debate revealed something important: support for remote work is not a fringe position. It spans every party, from opposition to government benches. The message from our elected representatives was clear and consistent.
Cross-party consensus
What made this debate remarkable was the breadth of support. Labour brought the motion, Sinn Féin backed it forcefully, and even government TDs acknowledged the benefits of remote work for Ireland.
TDs who spoke on remote work by party
In their own words
The quotes from the chamber tell the story better than any summary could.
“Ireland should be the best country in the world for remote working.”Emer Currie TD — Fine Gael
“The fact of the matter is remote working works. It works for workers, for businesses and for communities.”Mairéad Farrell TD — Sinn Féin
“The right to flexible work and the right to work from home must be enshrined.”Alan Kelly TD — Labour
“Giving people a real right to flexible and remote work is climate action.”Ivana Bacik TD — Labour
“One of the single biggest improvements to quality of life has been remote working.”Albert Dolan TD — Independent
“Allowing remote and flexible working would help to breathe life into many towns and villages.”Charles Ward TD — Independent
From climate to congestion, from carers to communities, TDs connected remote work to nearly every major policy challenge facing Ireland today.
The question that emerged
Throughout the debate, a central question kept surfacing: is the Right to Request enough? Over 8,000 people submitted responses to the government’s consultation on this very question. The answer from the Dáil chamber was clear: we need to go further.
“Workers in Ireland have no right to remote working. They have a right to ask and a right to be refused.”Rose Conway-Walsh TD — Sinn Féin
“The right to request remote work as it stands is an empty formula due to the legislation.”Ged Nash TD — Labour
What happens next
This debate was not the end of the conversation. It was the beginning of a new phase. Political momentum is building, and the window for change is open.
At Grow Remote, we are working to turn this cross-party support into concrete policy action. Ireland has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lead on remote employment: not just protect existing arrangements, but to actively win remote jobs into Irish communities.
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