Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)

This motion is before us as a result of an instruction from the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, to the Chief Whip, Deputy Kitt, to withdraw the Whilstleblowers Protection Bill 1999. This has come about as a result of the Government's decision to take a sectoral approach to whistleblowers rather than a holistic one, as envisaged under the terms of the 1999 Bill as introduced by the Labour Party. It is extraordinary that it has taken seven years for the Government to take any action on this Bill. It is regrettable the action it took was to seek the measure's withdrawal. This is despite several Ministers having indicated at various stages that they were supportive of the 1999 Bill.

When the Bill was introduced in 1999, the then Minister of State with responsibility for labour affairs, Deputy Tom Kitt, said he fully supported any meaningful measures to increase the protection of workers and, therefore, would not be opposing the Bill's referral to committee. The measure has made no progress since then, however.

In 2001, the Government approved the redrafting of the Bill but nothing was produced by the Government. As far back as two years ago, the first reference to addressing the issue on a sectoral basis was made by the then Minister for Defence, Deputy Michael Smith. Nothing else happened until a few weeks ago when a relevant motion came before the House. At that time, the Minister, Deputy Martin, made a declaration instructing the Chief Whip to withdraw the Bill. That is the sum total of the Government's contribution to ensuring employees have statutory protection in the event of blowing the whistle on wrong doing in society.

The Government's efforts amount to nothing and that is regrettable, particularly when so much wrongdoing is being engaged in. Much of that wrongdoing could have been prevented if the Government had acted either by introducing its own Bill or by amending the Labour Party Bill, as appropriate.

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