Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Act does not preclude the Minister of State from answering the question and saying whether he contacted the person who made this disclosure. It does not preclude him from doing as he did in the past when this House was made aware of other whistleblowers. He met them and dealt with an independent assessor who also met them. In this case, has the Minister of State contacted the person who made the disclosure? Has he had any communications with the person in question other than to acknowledge receipt of his disclosure? Did he make the assessor aware of the case?

This man had major complications and major problems within the Defence Forces and the Air Corps. He was doused with chemicals such as greases, oils and even aircraft fuel. When he complained to the doctors he was told to suck it up, to get back into his uniform and to get on with it or he was called a malingerer or a bluffer. He had to attend a private doctor. He was exposed to chemicals such as trichloroethylene, Ardrox 666, MEK and other chemicals. I am sure the Minister of State is aware, as this man says it in his disclosure, that it was around this time that he began to become sick with symptoms such as diarrhoea, tremors and anxiety. Is the Minister of State aware, or has he taken any action to find out, whether he was victimised and put onto dirty duties such as raking grass and cleaning stairwells and offices using the very chemicals which were affecting his health?

The Minister of State is not precluded because I have not identified the person in question. He is not precluded from saying that he received the disclosure, that he has contacted the person and that it is being dealt with. The Minister of State has had this disclosure for a long time and there does not seem to be any movement on it.

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