John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In the main, we seem to be dealing with cases involving Departments or State agencies. They relate to the State itself. One of our guests mentioned power and authority. That power and authority is seen to the greatest extent in cases involving the State. It has the ability to stall the case, destroy an individual or hide the consequences of actions. It appears to me, from the concerned citizens acting in the public interest who have come forward to date, that all of them have been brutally beaten up by the State. Have our guests seen anything in the review of this Bill that will deal with such issues?

Without naming names, in cases where a protected disclosure has gone to a Minister, the person making the disclosure would find it very difficult to have it processed. If a complaint has been made through local government, it is almost the same process. It is a case of defending at all costs, rubbishing the person making the disclosure and preventing resolution. That is according to the evidence given to us by Mr. John Wilson, Ms Julie Grace and Mr. Noel McGree. In fact, in Mr. McGree's case, as the committee heard last week, the Workplace Relations Commission found in his favour but the Department in question still did not pay the person. How can we ensure such cases will be dealt with firmly and adequately in this new Bill? Do our guests have suggestions? Is there another country in whose direction they might point us in order that we could examine its legislation?