CompliPlus - A family business built to last
MEET THE FINALISTS: BEST FAMILY BUSINESS
From its beginnings in Virginia, CompliPlus has grown into an established health and safety consultancy and training business supporting organisations, big and small, across Ireland, while retaining its family values.
Established in 2014, CompliPlus provides health and safety consultancy, training, audits, risk assessments and ISO support, alongside an expanding range of online courses and digital compliance solutions. The team has more than 25 years’ experience in the health and safety sector with contracts in Ireland, Northern Ireland and the UK.
Behind the business are husband and wife team - Paddy and Breda McHugh - with Paddy as CEO and Safety Project Management Consultant and Breda as Financial Director.
Family involvement has also been an important part of the company’s development. Colin Farrelly has been an integral part of the business for the past 14 years as a shareholder and Technical Director.
More recently, the next generation has continued to join the business, with their son Connor returning from Australia, where he worked with Southern Cross Care WA as a Safety Advisor. Connor has now taken up the position of Compliance Consultant.
For Paddy McHugh, building a sustainable business that can continue into the next generation has always been important.
“We both come from entrepreneurial families,” he said. “But one thing that we unfortunately never seen was a business go into the next generation, and that was a driving force for us, especially looking at how we grow and develop the business.”
He said entrepreneurship brings a commitment that goes well beyond the traditional working day.
“The hard slog in business is not just in the office. It’s at the kitchen table. It’s in the sitting room. It’s in the car, it’s on holidays. It never leaves us.”
That commitment has been accompanied by careful planning for the future, with the McHughs putting a succession plan in place to ensure the company can continue on a sustainable footing. Their family approach extends beyond the immediate family to the wider CompliPlus team.
The company has also embraced technology, developing bespoke online safety courses and digital solutions. In 2025, the team launched the CompliPlus 360 app, designed to simplify health and safety compliance for businesses.
For the McHughs, however, the focus remains firmly on building a business that lasts.
“It’s very, very important” to look to the future, he added, particularly when the ambition is to see the business continue through another generation.
CONTACT US
Contact CompliPlus on 046-9245658 or log on to the website: www.compliplus.com
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FULL LIST OF FINALISTS
Read about the other three finalists in this category by visiting the stories below.
The Breffni Arms: A family tradition in the heart of Arva
McCabes - Growing from the roots
Breffni Insulation: 20 years of family and growth