Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the whistleblower legislation that is being progressed and that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, is taking the lead in that regard. I also acknowledge that it was a commitment in the programme for Government. One could ask what message we are sending to potential whistleblowers. Let us imagine if people within the financial services sector had shouted stop. One could ask whether we would have the current crisis if legislation had been in place for such people.

In this case we have two very brave men, one of whom has had to leave the force, the other one who is thinking about leaving every day, who are under severe pressure for taking a stand and changing a system that was demonstrably wrong, as was proven conclusively by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Will the Tánaiste stand by the two whistleblowers and ensure that the evidence they have courageously given to the Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts is fully examined by the committee and all the facts and lessons will be learned? Will he also give the legislation that is coming through the best chance to be a real success in the future?

See this speech in context