Panel Discussion: Protected Disclosures for Employment Lawyers, Three Years On - A chance for us to evaluate how the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 has impacted on employers, how it has been used by Claimants and Adjudicated by the WRC & Circuit Court as well as some comparator view points from the United Kingdom.
Date and Venue: Mason Hayes and Curran, South Bank House, Barrow Street, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin 4 on Thursday 5 October Registration from 6pm with discussion commencing at 6:30pm
Panel:
Clive Howard – Slater and Gordon London, to provide key tips and experience as a UK lawyer specialising in the area of whistle-blowers in the financial sector.
Peter Gallagher – Central Bank, to provide an inside expert review of receiving a protected disclosure.
Mary Paula Guinness BL - To provide commentary from an Irish perspective in the last year.
Trevor Collins – Solicitor Kilfeather & Co., specialist in the area of Protected Disclosures within the Gardai and Nursing Homes.
Jack Hickey – Powerscourt Group, to provide advice on protecting your brand and crisis management from an Irish perspective.
To confirm your attendance, please email Danielle at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
*** SAVE THE DATE ELAI ANNUAL DINNER 24th NOVEMBER 2017 AT THE WESTBURY***
Past ELAI Events
ELAI Panel Discussion - 5 October 2017 - Protected Disclosures for Employment Lawyers - Three Years On
"GDPR - the HR Angle" - KPMG Offices, Stokes Place, Dublin 2, 6pm Tuesday 27 June 2017
As we enter a new and busy ELAI membership year we would like to invite you to our first event: "GDPR - the HR Angle" to be hosted at the offices of KPMG, 1 Stokes Place, Dublin 2 from 6pm - 8 pm next Tuesday, 27 June.
A panel of experts will discuss how employers, human resources practitioners, employment law practitioners and legal representatives can prepare employers for the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation in May 2018.
The panel, chaired by Linda Hynes, Head of the Employment Law & Data Protection team at Leman Solicitors, are all experts in the area of data protection and will provide wide-ranging and insightful perspectives on how GDPR will affect employers. They are:
Kate Colleary
Principal of Colleary & Co Solicitors and founder and director of Frontier Privacy Ltd, a specialist company providing data protection advice and solutions
Linda NiChualladh
Counsel for An Post: Communications Regulation, Data Protection, EU and Competition
Ronan Davy
Assistant General Counsel & Director at Etsy
Nichola Harkin
Employment Law Solicitor, Ibec
The event will be of interest to employment law practitioners, in-house counsel, human resources practitioners and employers preparing businesses for this landmark development in data protection law.
Wine and canapés will be served after the panel discussion.
To attend please reserve a place by emailing Danielle at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and please ensure that your membership is renewed for the upcoming membership year through to Spring 2018. Thank you to those who have already done so.
Future of Work Conference
The following conference may be of interest to ELAI members:
On 12 May 2017, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation will host a one day "Future of Work Conference" at Dublin Castle.
Ministers Mary Mitchell O'Connor and Pat Breen and leading experts in the field will speak.
Full details are here.
Registration details are available here.
ELAI AGM, 26 April 2017, Merrion Hotel
Dear All
Please note that our AGM will take place at 6pm at the Merrion Hotel on 26th April.
On this auspicious week when Article 50 is triggered by the UK, I am delighted to announce that James Libson of the London law firm Mischon De Reya, who represented Gina Miller in the landmark Article 50 legal challenge against the British Government, will give a talk.
Article 50 paragraph 1 states that “any member state may decide to withdraw from the Union in accordance with its own constitutional requirements.” Post-Brexit, the outcome of the Gina Miller case prevented the UK Government from triggering Article 50 without first being authorised by parliament to do so, in accordance with UK constitutional requirements. The case sparked controversy amongst the public, politicians and the media, provoking the “Enemies of the People” headline targeted at the UK judiciary. James Libson represented Gina Miller in this landmark case and will give an insider's account of the challenges faced by the legal team and will also discuss the aftermath of the decision on a national level.
We have arranged canapes and a drinks reception for after the event and I look forward to seeing you all there!
Kind regards
Colleen Cleary
Chair, Employment Law Association of Ireland
Notice of AGM
EMPLOYMENT LAW ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND
Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Employment Law Association of Ireland (ELAI) will be held at the Merrion Hotel, Merrion Street Upper, Dublin 2 on Wednesday, 26th April 2017 at 6.00pm to transact the following business:-
1. To review the activities of the ELAI to date.
2. To approve the subscription rates for 2017.
3. To elect the officers and ordinary members of the Executive Committee of the ELAI.
4. Any other business.
By order of the Executive Committee
Employment Law Association of Ireland
Notes to the Notice of Annual General Meeting
1. The Chairperson will provide a brief report to the members on the work carried out by the ELAI and the Executive Committee.
2. The Treasurer will provide a brief account of the finances of the ELAI and report on the rates, which she has agreed with the Executive Committee, are desirable. The Executive Committee is proposing that the full subscription annual rate of €85 be maintained.
3. Nominations for the office of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, North/South of Ireland Co-Ordinator and ordinary members of the Executive Committee shall be made to the Chairperson at the AGM.
4. Any other business may be tabled by the Chairperson at the AGM.
Note: Any matter of general business which a member wishes to bring before the AGM should be notified to the Secretary in writing no later than 7 days before the AGM.
Communication
Save the Date: May 7 - 11 2017: American Bar Association: Section of Labor and Employment Law Midyear Meeting
Our colleagues at the American Bar Association: Section of Labor and Employment Law will host a major international Midyear Meeting in the Westbury Hotel, Dublin from May 7 - 11 2017. The Midyear Meeting, hosted by the International Committee of the ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law will comprise a diverse series of presentations from leading international employment law and labour law experts. ELAI is proud to sponsor the opening of the conference with drinks Sunday evening 7 May at the Westbury Hotel.
Justice Mary Laffoy our ELAI Patron will open the conference on the Monday 8 May. Topics will include Brexit, social media, data protection, cross-border employment and trade union recognition and restrictive covenants and a draft list of topics are attached. The meeting promises to be a globally-significant gathering of experts in the field. Full details and registration details for conference are available here.
Non members of the ABA are welcome to attend the conference although a variety of membership options to join the American Bar Association are available here.
We would encourage our members of ELAI to attend as it is a unique opportunity to meet employment professional not only from the US but across the EU who also attend such mid year meetings in what are fascinating times for lawyers in the US and lawyers in the EU and the UK with Brexit.
Wednesday, 16 November: The Other Side of Social Media – Business Use and Crisis Management
‘The Other Side of Social Media – Business Use and Crisis Management’
Where: William Fry Solicitors, 2 Grand Canal Square, Dublin 2
When: Wednesday 16 November 6:30pm - 8pm
Register: Please RSVP to Danielle Haughton at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Our next seminar will be held on the topic ‘The Other Side of Social Media – Business Use and Crisis Management’.
At this seminar, we will focus on social media in the workplace and the key issues it raises for employers including, unions and trade associations, and for our clients. By the end of the seminar, attendees should understand the biggest challenges social media poses to employers, preventative steps to take, common pit falls of a social media strategy, recent Irish development, etc.
We will be joined in a panel discussion by;
· Sean Jones QC who will discuss the legal implications of a social media strategy;
· Cliona Kimber SC who will explore recent Irish case law on social media in the workplace, the ownership of devices and use of service providers through work terminals and copyright related rights of employer/employee privacy issues; and
· Amy Harte, Communications Clinic, who will consider the challenges of a PR/communication strategy in a crisis situation.
The seminar will take place on 16th November at William Fry, 2 Grand Canal Square, Dublin 2 with registration commencing at 6pm. We are grateful as always to our host and if you would like to attend, please send your rsvp to Danielle Haughton at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for catering purposes.
ELAI Annual Dinner 2016
The Employment Law Association of Ireland cordially invites you to its Annual Dinner 2016 with guest speaker and honorary members, which will take place in the Westbury Hotel, Dublin on 24 November 2016.
Our Guest Speaker Paul Gilroy QC will talk on the fascinating topic of: Playing by the Rules – Tales from the Touchline as the Law of Employment collides with the World of Football.
Paul Gilroy QC is a leading English barrister with a national and international reputation, principally based on his employment and sports practice. He has advised and acted for a sellar list of football clients; Sir Alex Ferguson, Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs, Martin O’Neill, Louis Van Gaal, Gianfranco Zola, Gary Neville and Sam Allardyce.
Honorary Guests include: Our Patron, The Hon. Ms Justice Mary Laffoy of the Supreme Court of Ireland, The Hon Mr Justice Paul Gilligan of the High Court, Mr Kevin Duffy and Mr. Kieran Mulvey who in recognition for their contribution to employment law will be conferred honorary ELAI life time membership.
Date: Thursday 24th November
Venue: Grafton Suite the Westbury Hotel (entrance through Grafton Foyer)
Drinks Reception: 7.00pm
Tickets: €85.65 (including booking fee)
Dress Code: Cocktail
Queries: Address to Danielle | e: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Bookings: Purchase of tickets is by invitation through Eventbrite* please contact Danielle if you are not on invite list to purchase.
We are very grateful to our sponsors Matheson & Cliona Kimber SC who have kindly sponsored the drinks and music respectively for the reception
We look forward to welcoming you at the Westbury.
The ELAI Committee
ELAI survey of practitioners on dispute resolution under the Workplace Relations Act 2015 - One Year On
A survey of employment law and industrial relations practitioners by the Employment Law Association of Ireland on the two-tier workplace disputes system introduced last year by the Workplace Relations Act 2015 has identified significant problems with aspects of how the Workplace Relations Commission is operating.
Substantial numbers of the 139 legal and industrial relations practitioners who responded are dissatisfied with the new system, with one in every two practitioners believing it is worse than the much-criticised, older version. The survey was covered by RTE News, the Irish Times and an opinion piece by ELAI Chair, Colleen Cleary was published in the Irish Examiner.
The infographic below details the main results of the survey which was conducted by Dr Brian Barry, committee member of the ELAI and lecturer in law at Dublin Institute of Technology.
Survey findings
General views of the new system
• 49% of practitioners said that they were either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the new two-tier system, while just 31% said that they were either satisfied or very satisfied. 20% of practitioners said that they were neutral in this regard.
• 48% of practitioners said that the new two-tier system is worse than the much-criticised and complex system for resolving workplace disputes that preceded the reforms under the 2015 Act. 34% of practitioners said that the system had improved while 18% said that system was neither better nor worse.
WRC Adjudication Service
The Workplace Relations Act 2015 introduced a new Adjudication Service to adjudicate on workplace disputes in the first instance. Practitioners were asked for their views on this new service.
• 40% of practitioners expressed satisfaction with the competence of Adjudication Officers at the Workplace Relations Commission, 30% were dissatisfied and 30% were neutral on this point.
• 63% practitioners said that the format of hearings hosted by Adjudication Officers at the Workplace Relations Commission which are now held in private was not consistent from hearing to hearing.
• 51% of practitioners were dissatisfied with the consistency of Adjudication Officers’ rulings. Just 18% said they were satisfied and 31% said they were neutral in this regard.
WRC Mediation Service
The Workplace Relations Act 2015 introduced a new mediation service as a voluntary alternative to adjudication.
• More practitioners (34%) expressed the view that they were dissatisfied with the availability of mediators than were satisfied (27%). Many practitioners commented that resources and personnel allocated to the service were insufficient to meet the demand for the new service, leaving many workers and employers without access to mediation.
Processing complaints at the WRC
• 60% of practitioners expressed dissatisfaction with how the Workplace Relations Commission processed complaints and scheduled hearings.
Labour Court
Practitioners were asked for their views on the revised Labour Court which now also hears appeals from decisions of Adjudication Officers at the Workplace Relations Commission.
• 59% of practitioners expressed satisfaction with the competence of the Labour Court. Only 13% expressed dissatisfaction.
Thursday October 13, Workplace Investigations - An Insider’s View
Workplace Investigations - An Insider’s View to be kindly hosted by McCann FitzGerald Solicitors, Riverside One, Sir John Rogerson Quay, Dublin 2. This will be a round table discussion and a real opportunity for ELAI members to gain a meaningful insight from experts who are leaders in this growth area.
Registration is at 6pm with a commencement time of 6.30pm – 8pm.
Our excellent panel of speakers will include;
• Bernadette Treanor- CEO of BEO Solutions, Bernadette is a former equality officer and highly experienced investigator in employment relation issues, including Dignity at Work, Protected Disclosures (whistle-blowers) and disciplinary procedures.
• Julie Fenton is Head of the Fraud Investigations Dispute Section of EY and an Assurance Partner with over 20 years in the delivery of professional services to clients to include forensic accounting, investigations and dispute resolution.
• Paul Glenfield is General Counsel and Head of Risk in Matheson having previously headed up the Employment and Equality Group and has many years’ experience in advising both employers and employees on the conduct of workplace investigations.
If you require CPD you can register on the day. As you know, ELAI relies on the generosity of its members to host their events and on this occasion, it would assist our kind host, McCann FitzGerald, to confirm your attendance by emailing Danielle at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..