Mr. John Devitt:

I will come in here briefly. It is essential, and the directive does provide under measures to support Article 20 and elsewhere, for free legal aid to be given to people making protected disclosures, as the Chair has said. The balance is tipped in favour of employers, whether in the public or private sector, and it is essential that workers are given free legal aid and support when taking challenges. It is also important that trade unions play a pivotal role in promoting the welfare of whistleblowers and in educating workers on their responsibilities to make sure their colleagues do not suffer as a result of speaking up. In many cases, it is not the employer who is directly responsible for reprisal but the co-workers of the whistleblower. They also have a role to play.