Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)

It is regrettable this legislation is being withdrawn. I suggest the sectoral approach which is being taken could be better described as a piecemeal approach to our legislation. The goal of any good whistleblower legislation should be to promote a society in which it is possible to speak out about corruption, public dangers and other vital social issues, without fear of reprisal.

Effective whistleblower protection laws would benefit the public by exposing questionable practices and institutional illegality, thus ensuring compliance with the law. Whistleblowers should be a crucial line of defence in combating crime, fraud and abuse, as well as being a crucial element of basic national security.

Whistleblowers are unsung heroes who seldom get the protection they deserve. Ruined careers are often their reward. The grave need for enhanced legislation to protect whistleblowers was graphically illustrated by the scenario at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, the nursing home charges debacle, the hepatitis C situation and the deaths of haemophiliacs. Those are concrete examples of where such legislation would have helped.

The subject matter of the various tribunals currently in session would not have come to light without people having acted in the public interest at great personal risk. In the absence of effective overall whistleblower legislation, the proposal to remove the Whistleblowers Protection Bill 1999 from the Order Paper would appear to defy logic. Any legislation in this regard is better than no legislation. Amendments could have been introduced where needed to suit the circumstances. This is a missed opportunity.

This Bill predates the current Government and, since 1999, has been hovering around like Banquo's ghost in suspended animation, as a veritable skeleton measure. It is the manifestation of a guilty conscience about our abject failure in the intervening seven years to enact effective whistleblower legislation that would provide job security and create a climate where workers would be encouraged to report problems in the workplace. We are missing an opportunity here and I regret we are moving towards a sectoral approach, which is a cop out.

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