Start Time
9:00 AM
End Time
4:30 PM
DELIVERY
Online
There will be CPD hours awarded to attendees. Please check directly with your association or awarding body to see how many points they will award.

We are currently experiencing a technical issue with our booking forms.

To secure a place, please contact us on 01 2933650 or email linzi@cmgevents.ie

About this Conference

Join us at the 2024 Fitness to Practise Conference where we delve into the critical stages and procedures of professional regulatory processes. Our comprehensive agenda covers the Prima Facie Stage, including the essentials of handling complaints and seeking mediation, the intricate details of sanctions and publications, the criteria and implications of interim suspension orders, and the procedural dynamics of inquiries.

We will also explore panel responsibilities, support for registrants under complaint, innovative approaches to assessing professional competency, and the handling of criminal activities in the workplace. Prepare to gain deep insights and practical knowledge to navigate these complex regulatory landscapes effectively.

A word from our conference chairperson

Agenda

Conference Chairperson & Opening Remarks

Brendan Barrett, Communications Consultant

Prima Facie Stage – Rules and Procedures Explained

Speaker: Eoin McGlinchey, Partner in the ByrneWallace Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team

  • Grounds and origins of complaints
  • What is a prima facie decision?
  • Legal principles in making prima facie decision
  • What to do if a complaint is made about you
  • Procedure -Importance of response at prima facia consideration stage
  • Seeking legal representation advice
  • Mediation – its role in the screening process; different provisions for different professions

Sanctions & Publications

Speaker: Barry Donovan, Barrister at Law, The Law Library

  • Statutory process for imposition of sanction – role of Councils and High Court
  • Sanctions available
  • Purpose of sanctions
  • Factors determining appropriate sanction, e.g. aggravating & mitigating factors
  • Recent case law

Interim Suspension Orders (Pending Inquiry)

Speaker: Patrick Martin McCann SC, The Law Library

  • Circumstances where interim suspension orders are sought
  • Procedures – Council/ Board and High Court
  • Criteria for granting
  • Suspension of registrants – where do you stand?

The Inquiry

Speaker: Cathal Ó Curraín, Barrister at Law, The Law Library

  • Processes pre-inquiry
  • Pre-inquiry preparation – what are the essentials?
  • Case management, call over hearing
  • Hearing practicalities you must know
  • Role of the Legal Assessor
  • Applications for hearing to be heard in private
  • Dealing with minors in the context of the Inquiry
  • Recent fitness to practise cases – key details and outcomes to use for future cases

The Panel and Witness Requirements and Responsibilities

Speaker: Ciara Hanratty, Senior Associate, Carson McDowell

  • Who is the panel made up of – who can you expect to be facing?
  • The difference between witness of fact and expert witness
  • What is expected of witnesses?

Impact And Damages of The Inquiry – Public And Private Hearings

Speaker: Colm Ó Néill, Barrister at Law, The Law Library

  • Public or private inquiry – what determines a case’s status and whether it’s heard publicly or privately?
  • Data protection issues – freedom of information
  • Publication of inquiry and its ramifications
  • Patient confidentiality
  • Imposing sanctions and publication of sanctions
  • Notification to third parties and other regulators

Impact of Non-Compliance: Legal Consequences for Failure to Meet Competency Requirements

Speaker: Mariana Verdes, Barrister at Law, The Law Library

Serious Misconduct in the Workplace

Speaker: Colleen Cleary, Founder of CC Solicitors

  • How to respond to serious misconduct in the workplace, obligations, adherence to policies and procedures and application of fair procedures
  • Application of Protected Disclosures Act 2014 – 2022 in the workplace
  • Misconduct in the legal profession

Who Should Attend?

This event would be very relevant all professionals working in our healthcare services including directors of nursing, nurses, regulators, legal consultants, social care professionals, pharmaceutical professionals, and educators, dental, veterinary, teachers, barristers, architects etc. and anyone who could find themselves subject to a fitness to practise inquiry.

Speakers

Brendan Barrett
Chairperson
Eoin McGlinchey
Partner in the ByrneWallace, Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team
Barry Donovan
Barrister at Law, The Law Library
Cathal Ó Curraín
Barrister at Law, The Law Library
Ciara Hanratty
Senior Associate, Carson McDowell
Colm Ó Néill
Barrister at Law, The Law Library
Mariana Verdes BL
Barrister at Law, The Law Library
Colleen Cleary
Founder of CC Solicitors

Price

EARLY BIRD RATE 1 €445 + VAT UNTIL THE END OF JULY

EARLY BIRDRATE 2 €475 + VAT UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER

Normal Rate @ €575 + VAT.

Please note the early bird discount can close sooner than expected once a certain number of places fill up, therefore your prompt booking is strongly advised to avoid disappointment.

CMG Events Conference Discount

  • 10% discount for the third delegate booked or subsequent bookings thereafter from the same company.