Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2026
334. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will review the adequacy of the safeguards under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 against penalisation, and against the disclosure of a discloser's identity without consent, in view of concerns raised publicly in recent weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68089/26]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for his question.
Firstly, I would like to emphasise that it would not be appropriate for me to comment on any specific cases that are currently before the courts or the WRC or are subject to ongoing investigation. However, I want to acknowledge the valuable contribution that bona fide whistleblowers make when they bring to light wrongdoing.
As the Deputy is aware, a statutory review of the Protected Disclosures Act must be started by July 2027. That review is expected to commence early in the form of a public consultation to be launched by my Department by the end of this year.
The consultation will provide us with feedback on how stakeholders perceive the current system to be working in practical terms. We hope that submissions from whistleblowers, recipients of reports of alleged wrongdoing, and others, will give us the evidential basis for any recommendations that may emerge.
I would encourage anybody with an interest in or experience of the protected disclosures system to get involved in the public consultation when it launches.
I trust this answers the Deputy's question.
