Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister very much for his response. It is not too often we get excited in here. We usually get heated rather than excited. However, as Deputy Mairéad Farrell has said, we can work together to make the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022 the gold standard. It is about protecting people. I welcome the fact that the Minister has said he is looking at existing cases because we do not want them to get lost and not be looked after. The reversal of the burden of proof is a game changer because most of these protected disclosures were not made lightly. If I had time, I would quote from some of those I have before me but I do not. I will contact the Minister's Department and that of the Tánaiste to flag up the fact that there are ongoing issues that we do not have the opportunity to investigate. That is what frustrates me and some of these whistleblowers. Again, the HSE is independent but, if it is not doing its job, who investigates that?

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