TD: Degree Of ‘Inertia’ In State Departments Since Pandemic

There’s a degree of ‘inertia’ in government departments since the pandemic, according to one TD.

It comes as certain sectors of the economy struggle to recruit staff, with the country close to full employment.

Fianna Fail TD James Lawless says some services, such as work permits, have not returned to full capacity.

He feels some work practices established in the pandemic are continuing:

“It can happen in the private sector as well. And I suppose many employers are making those calls – whether, is it a good idea for people to be home five days a week, or is it better to have a hybrid model, or is a more efficient for people to do two-days-in-three-days out – whatever”.