Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The next item of correspondence is No. 793, dated 5 October. It is an acknowledgment from the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board. We asked it for an update on the project and the costs involved. It stated it would send on the details to us. We expect to see them very soon.

Item No. 794C has been dealt with already in dealing with the HIQA issue.

Item No. 795C, dated 9 October, concerns previous correspondence with the committee regarding the appointment of a protected disclosures manager in the Irish Prison Service. When the previous correspondence was before us, we decided to await the outcome of the case, which is before the Workplace Relations Commission. While I believe it remains the right course of action, it appears that the person concerned is experiencing severe financial and other difficulties related to his protected disclosure. I propose at this stage, because of the seriousness of the case, as highlighted by the individual, that we not ignore it and write to the Minister to ask him to use his power to take the appropriate action to ensure the matter will be dealt with expeditiously. We will write directly to the Minister today. I am conscious that the matter will be before the Workplace Relations Commission soon. We said we would await the outcome of its work, but the matter seems to be very serious from the point of view of the person who made the protected disclosure and we want to help that person. It would be more appropriate, therefore, to write to the Minister. We have contacted the Irish Prison Service several times and have to take the issue to the Minister for a response.