Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like on behalf of the Government to express our sympathy to the wife and family of the late Joe Walsh.

I know, a Cheann Comhairle, that we will have an opportunity for expressions of sympathy at a later date. At a time when farmers are blockading meat plants I am sure the spirit of the late Joe Walsh will be looking on benignly in that he had been there before. He was a man for whom I had great admiration and with whom I had a very good friendship over many years. We will deal appropriately with this at a later time.

In response to the issue raised by Deputy Calleary, this is the first whistleblower to produce documentation under the protected disclosures legislation, which is a major piece of reform that I very much welcome and in respect of which the whistleblower must be protected. The Deputy asked if the matter was first referred to the agencies in 2005. The answer to that question is, "Yes". In respect of the witness statement, that was requested originally by the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation. It has now been cleared by the Department and the Minister and has been sent to the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, as requested by the whistleblower in the first instance.

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