Ireland joins international call for a four-day working week

The '4-Day Week Ireland' group is the homegrown leg of an international coalition of unions, business, environmental and women's groups who are promoting the benefits of a shorter working week.

It follows the British Labour Party's recent commitment to campaign to reduce the working week to four days.

Among those addressing the campaign launch in Dublin is Andrew Barnes, founder of New Zealand financial advice company Perpetual Guardian, which rolled out a four-day week for its 250 staff last year. They work four eight-hour days but get paid for five. Galway firm ICE has also introduced a four-day week.

Labour spokesperson on employment and social protection Ged Nash called for an expert group on extending a shorter working week here.

The senator said workers are being made to feel like they are expected to be constantly available to their employer due to new technologies.

"We have to look again at our working time laws and how we can ensure working people work to live, rather than merely live to work," he said.