Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)

I move amendment No. 6:

In page 9, line 22, after "Foras" to insert the following:

"or the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment".

Protection is afforded in the legislation to FÁS employees, which is proper and correct. As I said on Second Stage, we have laboured for such a long time regarding whistleblower protection legislation that we have been left in the traps. Every other county has developed policies in this area but we are lagging behind instead of being to the forefront. When my colleague, Deputy Rabbitte, was our party leader he was a strong advocate of such a regime and he introduced a number of Bills in this regard. Somebody's dead hand made sure they never reached the Statute Book and I do not know why that was the case. Without whistleblowers in recent times important life-changing circumstances experienced by a number of people would not have happened nor would they have been subject to the scrutiny of tribunals and the courts.

The provision is important in that context. However, I acknowledge the Minister has made a good start and I can see where he is coming from. I hoped whistleblower protection might be extended to departmental officials because they are in a similar position. They could well find themselves in an invidious position if a FÁS official came forward with information. The Minister of State is focused on the prevention of speculative information emerging. None of us wants to be party to that or party to having people's reputations ruined because somebody else has a beef with them or has an ulterior motive. That would be frightening. We want bona fide information with foundation. I understand tram lines must be applied under this legislation. I would not countenance anybody using the legislation to even a score or something similar. I am worried that whistleblower protection will only apply to FÁS employees and the same protection will not be afforded to departmental staff who could come into possession of relevant information.

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