Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will lay out a detailed implementation plan on the provisions of what will become new legislation and, certainly, later this year, the intention is to have that office up and running. We are engaging with the Ombudsman in that regard. While there may well be disagreements on specific aspects of the Bill, in the round, this represents very significant progress. I again acknowledge the work of Deputy Howlin in bringing forward the initial legislation. It was groundbreaking legislation for its time and it is timely that it be updated and that we learn from the experience of recent years.

We are bringing volunteers, unpaid trainees, board members, shareholders and job applicants into the reach of the protected disclosures regime. There will be an obligation on all private sector organisations with 50 or more employees to establish formal channels and procedures. Employers and prescribed persons will be subject to obligations to follow up diligently on information contained in protected disclosures and to provide feedback. For the first time, that will be an obligation. We will have a new office of the protected disclosures commissioner. We have laid out new offences and we have additional protections with regard to the reversal of the burden of proof, the extension of interim relief measures and so on that we have extended to the greatest extent possible to all those who qualify under the legislation.

See this speech in context