Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

I am surprised the Minister's main concern appears to be that legislating for whistleblowing on a broad basis would undermine Ministers' policies. This is a new argument. I find it hard to believe it is beyond the wit of parliamentary draughtsmen to draw up provisions that would provide for whistleblowing while ensuring they have no basis for undermining ministerial policies. Notwithstanding this, surely in the modern world freedom of information, transparency, declarations of interest and so forth — the Minister, for example, emphasised the need for transparency and accountability — are all designed to make public decisions more transparent and open to scrutiny. It is strange the Minister defends the decision not to introduce whistleblowing legislation on the grounds of wanting secrecy. Is it not the case that regulators are turning up breathless and late when problems arise, whether in the areas of nursing home standards, failures in computer systems, the planning system, banking etc? The list goes on and on yet the Government has chosen to perpetuate this system.

See this speech in context