Prof Michael Doherty has been appointed by the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment (DETE) as Chairperson of the new Employment Law Review Group (ELRG). Following discussions between the Government and the Social Partners, the ‘Plan for Action on Collective Redundancies following Insolvency' was published on 9 June 2021. This set out several commitments to further safeguard the rights of workers including the setting up on a statutory basis of an Employment Law Review Group (established by the enactment of the Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Act 2024).
Mr Kevin Duffy, barrister and former Chair of the Labour Court, who is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Maynooth University, was also appointed by the Minister as a member of the ELRG.
The ELRG’s function will be to monitor, review, and advise on all aspects of employment and redundancy law, with a specific focus on promoting good workplace relations in the State, simplifying the operation of employment and redundancy law in the State, and ensuring that the State’s suite of employment rights and redundancy legislation remains relevant and fit for purpose and is updated to reflect international developments.
Prof Doherty was appointed as Chair of the Group, the members of which have expertise in employment and redundancy law, including practitioners (the legal profession and accountants/liquidators), users (business and unions), regulators (implementation and enforcement bodies) and representatives from government departments. Prof Doherty had previously Chaired the Irish Government’s LEEF High Level Working Group on collective bargaining and industrial relations in Ireland. The Final report of the LEEF High-Level Working Group on Collective Bargaining was published in 2022.
Prof Doherty is a Full Professor of Law at Maynooth University School of Law and Criminology where he teaches Employment Law and Introduction to Law to BCL/ LLB students.