Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)

One might well ask why we need whistleblower legislation. The scandal in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital is a case in point. When it becomes evident that things have gone wrong, the State cries crocodile tears and pays lip-service to justice, equality and all the rest of it.

The Tánaiste referred earlier to isolated practitioners. Rural practitioners are put out in the wide blue yonder in remote areas or on islands. They work 168 hours a week — which is all the hours that are in a week — yet they are left to their own devices until such time as something happens and then the Government becomes interested and people say how terrible it is, ask why it is happening and so on. The Government has been covering up for its inadequacies by ignoring what is going on but when a crisis occurs, everybody says it is terrible and asks why it was not detected before now.

We need whistleblowers legislation and it is necessary right across the board. In the United States the dangers of smoking were not disclosed and cigarette companies with the powers of big business managed to keep the lid on the harmful and detrimental effects of cigarette smoking for a long time. Thanks to whistleblowers this information was eventually revealed. Whistleblowers have also made an impact in many other areas. For instance, 100 women are suffering from hepatitis C as a result of being given infected anti-D but until a scandal arises those people will be ignored by Government, as is the case at present.

Many other issues also arise where whistleblowers have made a difference. Thanks to a whistleblower, Charlie Bird brought to light what was happening in banking institutions. Such legislation is necessary for our democracy, to fight against big business and to keep tabs on Government. One could well ask how many of the scandals that have been exposed would have come to light without whistleblowers.

See this speech in context