Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

I am delighted to be able to speak on the Private Members' motion. There are a wide range of topics which I could cover but I want to address whistleblowers legislation. I had a call to my office today from a very distressed person from my county who was concerned about an individual living in Dublin who lost his job yesterday which was his thanks for whistleblowing. I want to raise issues like that. There must be more transparency and openness.

There has to be clear legal protection for whistleblowers, not only on a sector by sector basis but across all areas as a fundamental entitlement for every citizen. Only today, as I said, I had a call to my office regarding a young man who found himself fired from his job because of doing the right thing and exposing wrongdoing in an organisation. Regardless of the sector or industry people cannot be sacrificed and the law must facilitate the exposure of malpractice.

On the regulation of lobbyists, we need to ensure that former civil servants and special advisers do not work in an area involving a potential conflict of interest. There are legitimate concerns regarding individuals moving from decision-making or influential roles to lobbying the organisation or bodies with which they were involved. There are questions about undue influence and insider deals. A moratorium of at least two years should be enforced. The roles of Ministers and Secretaries General have to be subject to further scrutiny.

On active citizenship, there is a great opportunity and has never been more need for people who are active in the community and voluntary sector. They need to be supported and all the arms and institutions of the State should be made freely available, not just in economic terms but there should be full support rather than jaundiced eyes trying to pull them back and restrain them from their voluntary efforts. Such people are true patriots and we never needed them more. They need to be encouraged, fostered and allowed to generate enthusiasm and facilities in their communities, thereby giving greater quality of life to citizens at large. By extension, they also create business, industry and employment as well as a social benefit.

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