Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have a problem with this letter. It is something of a whitewash. The letter states that the Department is liaising with Noel McGree, that it is a difficult situation but that everything is progressing. I do not believe that there is any goodwill here. I think we are throwing the kitchen sink at this man and that if anybody monitors this particular case, it would be a signal to never submit a protected disclosure because we would throw the person under a bus. There is a need for goodwill.

If what Mr. O'Driscoll says was morally true, in practical terms, they would be making contact with Mr. McGree and would be trying to mediate this. They are not. I am aware that Mr. McGree and his family have had a horrendous time where they have been stuffed into an administrative merry-go-round to blindly protect the State. No consideration is being shown for a person who gave 25 years of his life to public service. I do not accept this letter. It was written to tell the committee what it wants to hear to shut it up. In real terms, this man and his family are suffering. Some sort of proactive attempt should be made, rather than box-ticking exercises and superficial correspondence and engagement. They need to deal with this, mediate it in a timely manner with some level of consideration for a man and his family who has given 25 years to the State and who has done the State some additional service by having the courage to highlight some issues, the investigation of which may be still continuing. The person and his family are entitled to a little bit more proactivity and engagement rather than this.