Revenue spends €1.1m facilitating home working

Spend includes €447k on mobile phones and €565k on laptops

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe confirmed that a survey of staff at Revenue has found that 67% favour a blended working model of in the home and at work. File picture

Revenue has spent €447,200 on providing 2,887 staff with mobile phones to facilitate home working during the pandemic.

In addition, it has spent €565,000 on providing 600 laptops to staff.

The mobile phone and laptop spend is part of an overall €1.14m spend by Revenue to facilitate home working for employees since the Covid-19 pandemic began.

In a written Dáil reply, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe confirmed that a survey of staff at Revenue has found that 67% favour a blended working model of in the home and at work.

On the mobile phone spend, a spokeswoman for Revenue said the approximate cost relating to mobile phones “does not reflect the purchase price per device, but rather the monthly price plan in place between Revenue and our service provider and the average payments made over the past 18 months”.

Essential Revenue services

The spokeswoman said the provision of IT equipment, including mobile phone and laptop devices, was one such support measure during the pandemic to continue to provide essential Revenue services, including the operation of various helplines, while working remotely.

“Revenue continues to be guided by public health advice while building on the learnings made over the past 18 months, a period when despite the challenges, we have continued to perform as a highly effective organisation.

“Supporting our staff, which includes the provision of the necessary tools to facilitate working remotely, is vital to ensure our continued professionalism,” she said.

Mr Donohoe said the NTMA expects a hybrid working model to be available to all employees.