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Employment-law group holds inaugural meeting

A group set up by the Government to examine all aspects of employment law has held its first meeting.

The Employment Law Review Group (ELRG) will monitor, review, and advise on all aspects of employment and redundancy law.

Its work programme will be determined by Peter Burke (Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment) after consultations with the group.

Addressing the meeting, the minister described the group as a “valuable resource” in conducting ongoing assessments of employment law.

‘Balance’ important

Alan Dillon (Minister of State for Small Businesses and Retail) said that it was important that the group’s work “balance carefully” the need to ensure that legislation remained fit for purpose, while not placing “an undue or additional burden” on business.

Professor Michael Doherty, a former head of Maynooth University’s Law School who previously chaired a Government-appointed group that reviewed collective bargaining, will chair the ELRG.

The full membership of the group, which includes nominees from expert, technical, legal, Government, and regulatory bodies, was announced at its first meeting yesterday (4 March).

The Law Society has nominated Donal Hamilton (McCann FitzGerald, pictured), who is a member of its Employment and Equality Law Committee, to serve on the group.