Our readers' stories of commuting in a fuel crisis – and the renewed push for remote work

THREE IN FIVE Irish people get to work by car – and their commute is now a lot more expensive than it was just two months ago.

Last week, The Journal broke the news that trade union Fórsa is demanding increased remote working flexibility for thousands of civil servants as the Iran war increases petrol and diesel prices.

We asked our readers how they’re getting on and received many responses.

It’s clear that the fuel crisis is showing up the cracks of some of Ireland’s longstanding infrastructure and planning problems.

These include sky-high Dublin house prices, expanding the capital’s commuter belt into the midlands and even across the Shannon. There’s also the fact of almost non-existent public transport provision outside cities. With over 40% of homes in the state detached – 85% in rural areas – in Ireland, the car is king.

It’s also clear that high prices at the pumps are reigniting a debate that has been smouldering in many workplaces since the pandemic: do white-collar workers really need to be in the office to do their jobs? Many of our readers believe they personally do not.

Our thanks to everyone who got in touch. Here’s what you told us.

‘The cost is not sustainable’

Readers who contacted us said they have no alternative to driving to get from their home to their place of work – often long distances. They hate it.

We heard from one university lecturer in the south of the country who drives 50 minutes to and from work each day.

Before the fuel crisis this would cost him €60 per week in fuel. Last week it cost €95.

“It’s not sustainable and is impacting my ability to even keep the car going. I need new tyres, service is due and these have increased too so it’s a no-win,” he said.

A production worker in Limerick and her husband, a mechanic, are spending an extra €30-40 per week on fuel to get to work. They do not have the option to work from home, cycle, carpool or use public transport. They are very frustrated and have contacted their TD.

An employee of a bank, who commutes to Dublin for three compulsory in-office days each week, told us he takes every second Friday off to reduce commuting. This is “not a long-term solution”.

“Do more office days increase my productivity, engagement or creativity? Not at all, as I am more tired due to extra commuting. Every second day I have to get up way earlier to travel, and arrive back home late evening around 7.30pm,” he said.

Commuting 80km each way to the office in Dublin three days each week takes about 9 hours each week and costs €70. Public transport – a combination of trains and the Luas – would take longer. His employer does not support more remote work.

Remote working

For many of our readers with desk-based jobs, increased remote working seems like the obvious solution but employers are not rushing to facilitate this, even as the fuel crisis rumbles on.

Irish workers have a right to request remote work, but employers don’t have to grant these requests. In making a decision, employers have the right to take into account business needs, and whether on-site work is necessary for certain tasks and duties. Advocates of remote work say the deck is stacked in favour of employers.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions noted last month that almost 100% of cases taken to the Workplace Relations Commission appealing against remote work refusals were lost.

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The current fuel crisis comes at a time when some employers are trying to at least partially row back remote-working flexibility granted during the pandemic.

Any progress employers may have made in bringing people back to the office may come under pressure now. From what we heard from our readers, the fuel crisis has increased employees’ motivation to request remote work.

Workers from sectors from human resources to tech to the civil service told us they believe they can do their work from home, just as they were able to do during the pandemic.

A tech worker in Cork who drives 100km to get to work from his rural home for three compulsory in-office days each week, said he arrives at the workplace only to log on to remote meetings with colleagues all over the world. The company’s policy has remained the same since Covid.

This commute can take anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours depending on traffic.

“I rarely have any need for interaction with other office workers in Cork,” he said.

“Since the rise in fuel prices my diesel costs around €35 per day, but what’s worse is the time spent and that it feels so pointless when I get to an office where I don’t have any team members that I need to meet with.

It seems crazy that we are living in an age of digital interconnectivity and we are forced into busy cities to live and work as if we were still stuck in the Industrial Revolution. 

“One extra day remote would significantly help me financially as well as reduce the physical and emotional burden of the commute.”

A civil servant living in the midlands but required to be in the office in Dublin two days a week said her employer will not facilitate any more remote work, and there are rumours that the current arrangements may be reviewed and working from home further reduced in the future.

Her drive to Dublin is costing her €40 per day in fuel, plus tolls, but taking the train would mean leaving the house at 6am and getting back at 7.30pm.

One Galway-based woman told us she is completing a round trip of over 400km for compulsory in-office days in Dublin.

To save money she has reduced her speed on the motorway, but this is adding 20 minutes to her journey each way.

She has requested remote working but has not yet received any indication of support or otherwise.

One Kerrywoman told us that heavy traffic in the morning and evening means she would rather work from home. She has no public transport option.

“I have raised the issue of remote working with my employer and they have not been agreeable,” she said.

We also heard the employer perspective from the managing director of an Irish small business.

He said two of his long-term employees work from home full-time with no problems, but it “does not work for everyone”.

Working from home can mean “disturbance and a lack of ability to stay focused”.

“The home environment plays a huge part in whether it works or doesn’t and those with small kids, sick dependents or even a pet who interrupts the employee’s day means it ends up just not working,” he said.

The genie of remote working is not going back in the bottle, so this looks set to be a debate that will run and run.

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