Niall Sexton, Associate, DAC Beachcroft

Niall is an Associate in DAC Beachcroft Dublin’s Public, Regulatory and Sports Law team.

Niall advises clients on regulatory and health and safety law across a range of regulated sectors including insurance, healthcare, construction, financial, legal and logistics to name but a few. He has experience in inspections, investigations and enquiries from professional practice, regulatory investigations and criminal perspectives. He represents clients in regulatory, health and safety, fitness to practise and associated criminal prosecutions from the initial interview stage with the prosecuting authority through to regulatory hearings and court.

Prior to training as a solicitor he worked as a parliamentary assistant in the Houses of the Oireachtas where he gained invaluable insight into the legislative process as well as obtaining experience across both public and regulatory law in Ireland.

In the context of Covid-19 and the health and safety implications of the return to workplaces Niall will address the following issues that arise for employers:

• The potential risks faced by employers, and their individual employees, in respect of any serious or even fatal outcomes due to the contraction of Covid-19 on their premises and the legal implications for those employers, and possibly employees.
• The reporting obligations on employers in relation to the contraction of a case of Covid-19 on their premises by an employee/customer/member of the public due to work related activities.
• The individual legal implications for individuals, either directors and officers or indeed employees, particularly in cases of an egregious breach.
• Ensuring compliance, and most importantly, demonstrating it.
• Mitigation and/or minimisation of risk.
• Best practice from other jurisdictions.