A roofing company has been fined €100,000 for breaching health and safety regulations following the death of an employee who fell from a roof at a Dublin school three years ago.
Peter Gaffney suffered fatal head injuries as a result of the fall from the roof of St Mac Dara's Secondary School at Wellington Lane, Templeogue, on December 16th, 2002. He died in Tallaght hospital six days later.
Derek May, managing director of Gerard F May Roofing Ltd of Waterway House, Crag Crescent, Clondalkin industrial estate, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, on behalf of the company, to failing ensure the safety, health and welfare of its employees while at work, and for failing to ensure the availability of a guard-rail to prevent an employee from falling.
Judge Desmond Hogan said it was an unfortunate accident of which the terrible consequence was "the demise and extinguishment of a life".
He noted that Gerard F May Roofing had co-operated with the relative authorities following Mr Gaffney's death and had continued in the spirit of this co-operation through to its finalisation by tendering a guilty plea.
Judge Hogan said the company had to a certain extent taken its statutory obligations very seriously and had put matters in place where the occurrence of tragic events such as the death of Mr Gaffney were less likely to occur in the future.
Judge Hogan put a stay on this fine pending an appeal, accepting an application that the company might not be able to afford such a fine.