Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I am. I recognise the work done by HIQA in dealing with the issue and closing the house but a question arises as to how it got the all-clear in 2010. Much of the coverage was around the fear the staff had of referring this issue. The Government has promised legislation on whistleblowing and there is protection in Health Acts for whistleblowers but I ask that the Government considers if there is a need for a short-term amendment of the Health Acts to make sure that health workers in all sectors feel protected if they in turn protect people by whistleblowing and, second, there is a need to inform workers that they are protected in law if they get involved in whistleblowing. It is important we would not wait for the substantive Bill, the completion of which will take some time and that we could do this by agreement before the summer recess.

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