The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) has confirmed that the use of an external company to provide call centre support to the department is a one-off, short-term emergency measure.

Thousands of Garda vetting applications have been expedited by the Garda national vetting bureau in a bid to get additional staff to the front line as a matter of urgency.

The Revenue Commissioners has confirmed that over 80% of its staff are now working remotely under new social distancing measures introduced to combat the coronavirus.

New flexibilities introduced on foot of the Covid-19 emergency will give civil service managers the option to cancel or postpone individual ‘shorter working year’ arrangements, but only with the consent of the worker involved.

Fórsa this week published new guidance for health staff and other workers who are working in, or could be asked to work in, environments where there is a higher-than-average risk of contracting the coronavirus.

Flexitime arrangements are to be temporarily suspended across the civil and public service as part of its response to the coronavirus crisis.