John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is no doubt that the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach, which dealt with the Bill, did a very detailed analysis of it and that most of the recommendations made in its report were taken on board by the Minister. During the course of the hearings, the sincerity of the Minister was clear with regard to stating he would seek legal advice on applying a retrospective position. I have not seen the legal advice. I do not know whether it was published. A debate on this that will conclude within five minutes is simply unfair not only to the House but to the whistleblowers caught in the process of a court case. John Barrett, who has been mentioned in the House numerous times, is one such individual caught in it.

The Bill flies in the face of the directive we are transposing into Irish law. We need to look at it. As legislators we need to tease out the issues of concern to us relative to this aspect of the Bill. Otherwise the Minister has done a very fine job and so have all of those who have had an input. Reflecting on what the whistleblowers told us during the course of the hearings, I am very concerned about the rush to conclude this. I am very concerned about the difficulties that will now be faced by those before the courts. It is simply unfair and unjust. It is bad to rush this legislation given what the Minister has done so far on reform.

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