Public Sector
The public sector in Ireland covers a vast range of disciplines and diverse service sectors. In total, there in excess of 350,000 people employed in the public sector with approximately 60% of them engaged in the provision of health and education services across the country.
Public sector group
We have a long and proud history of representing those directly accountable to the people of Ireland. We understand the unique challenges and constraints under which those in the public sector operate. As one of Ireland’s largest law firms, we devote substantial resources to providing a one-stop shop for legal services and have a distinctively integrated cross-firm approach to our clients’ needs and projects. We have extensive experience working on behalf of State and semi-State bodies, agencies, local authorities, multiple Government departments and the health authorities. Michelle Ni Longain heads our public sector group. She brings considerable experience to bear on behalf of her public sector clients and is regarded as one of the country's leading employment, equality, administrative and freedom of information practitioners. Our public sector group also administers an extensive in-house training programme to ensure our clients are kept informed of important legislative developments affecting them. We also lecture externally to the public sector including Public Affairs Ireland and the Public Appointments Service.
Public sector services
Our public sector services group covers all the legal needs of the public sector including:
- Employment, HR and industrial relations
- Administrative law
- Healthcare services
- Property services
- Projects/PPPs
- Public procurement
- Childcare and care of the elderly
- Regulation and governance
- Fitness to Practice
- Freedom of information/data protection
- Medico legal
- Litigation
- Corporate and commercial
- Competition and EU law
- Finance
- Construction
- Pensions and employee benefits
Recommendations
Byrne Wallace Shields LLP is ranked as a Tier 1 firm in the Public Sector chapter of Legal 500:
Byrne Wallace Shields LLP has ‘an excellent understanding of the issues and culture within the public sector’ and ‘ranks as one of the top performers in this area.’ The firm advises a broad spread of clients across employment, infrastructure and administrative issues, but it is on the health side where the firm really shines, acting for the HSE, the Department of Health and Children and various hospitals and educational faculties.
Byrne Wallace Shields LLP is also ranked in the Pensions & Employee Benefits chapter of Legal 500:
Byrne Wallace Shields LLP has an ‘in-depth understanding of public sector issues’ and provides ‘invaluable insight that cannot be easily replaced’
