Paul Murphy Proposes Four-Day Week to Cut Carbon Emissions

I'd like to ask the Minister his view on the introduction of a four-day week without loss of pay as a measure to substantially reduce carbon emissions this is a measure that's included in the Labour Party manifesto in Britain and there's different estimates I'm sure we'll go into them about what level of carbon savings you would make some of them say up to 16% and I think it's it's a measure which is forms part of our Green New Deal with Social policies which precisely illustrates how we can stop climate catastrophe and dramatically improve people's lives Thanks for the Deputy for the question and the focus of the Climate Action Plan is on the sectors generating major greenhouse gas emissions these are agriculture power generation the energy use of buildings transport industrial process and and resource use by all sectors the plan has identified policies that can deliver a change at least cost and offering and most opportunity more flexible work patterns can be a part of the strategy which individual bodies can consider as part of a climate plan such as through remote working the plan encourages both public bodies and enterprise to consider the actions which can assist the government is committed through future jobs to Ireland to developing and implementing a range of measures aimed at making participation in the workforce more flexible and therefore easing barriers to entry into the workforce these include measures aimed at intelligent working arrangements such as intelligent working arrangements such as the development of guidelines for employers on flexible working options childcare provision reducing disincentives for those who wish to work longer targeting certain cohorts through public service employment service The Climate Action Plan recognises that the implementation of the national planning framework will help to underpin these measures by promoting the development involving reduced travel distances and greater proximity to employment services which will enable a greater proportion of journeys by means of active travel the successful rollout of the national broadband plan will also stimulate remote working opportunities and increase the creation of local employment opportunities which allow more people to work closer to their homes reducing emissions associated with longer commuter journeys policy matters in relation to working time falls under the minister for business enterprise and innovation I just asked the minister to comment on proposals to reduce the working week to four days and I would argue that that should be combined with with no loss of pay so people aren't aren't harmed and this is part of a green new deal vision for transforming our society and in a way of avoiding climate catastrophe and giving people time to contribute to society taking advantage of the massive productivity increases that we have but which the benefits overwhelmingly go to the bosses to the capitalists So there is a trade union campaign in Ireland for four day working week refers to the study in Sweden that shows for every one percent in reduction reduction in working hours energy consumption and emissions are reduced by 0.8 percent If you translate that to Ireland and you move to a four day working week it suggests that emissions could be reduced by 16 percent There are clear benefits from various studies in terms of productivity in terms of productivity in terms of mental health and in terms of having workers be happy contributing at work in society it will be of benefit to workers in this country The issue of a four day working week without loss of pay raises much wider issues than climate I suppose I am obviously happy to look at the evidence of any policy initiative and its impact on climate and if there is data I will examine it Clearly things like remote working which reduce people resorting to public transport is a way of doing the same So if people are working one day from the home they will get a lot of the savings But you know we will review every year policy proposals that come that are submitted We obviously rely on the advice of the climate advisory council to evaluate some of those But there are obviously it depends on what happens when the person is not working what happens to industrial processes If output is the same will you actually get the saving of carbon emissions So a lot of other accompanying policies I think would have to be put in place to see whether such an initiative would have a significant impact In the short term I think we do have to work on the fabric of our buildings On the makeup of our transport fleets Of the shape of our generation capacity Those are the big items we have to shift It was a time when workers worked seven days a week They worked six full days and a half day on Sunday And it was a gain of the labour movement to get rid of the Sunday And then eventually to get rid of the Saturday Effectively since that time working hours have remained quite stable Because each productivity gain that has been delivered by workers has been gobbled up in the form of profits So yes I agree this goes beyond climate change no question It goes to the question of what kind of society do we want to have What do we want to spend wealth on Do we want to continue just to boost the profits of big multinational corporations Or do we want to improve people's lives and take significant action to reduce carbon emissions I do think that the demand for this is going to grow and grow The trade union campaign is building on this The research that has been done for example in Britain Suggested that workers were ill less, less stressed, happier, more productive Developed their skills, travelled less And it actually attracted workers into the industries where four day weeks applied As part of a vision for a social society where people participate If you participate in a democracy freeing up time for people to be actually able to do that To participate in their communities, in their workplaces, to have democratic control is an important part I know the Deputy is articulating a position which is absolutely a valid aspiration But I suppose what I have been asked to do is to make sure our power generation shifts to renewable sources That our energy, our buildings are more energy efficient That our industrial processes are less carbon intensive And that we change the shape of our transport system And I suppose I have to focus on those Because those are the areas which will deliver a shift in the dial of carbon emissions I think the Deputy recognises himself that what he is raising is a much wider challenge or issue for Irish society to consider But I have to focus, I suppose, on my own work