Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have engaged with a number of organisations in a similar position, where concerns have been expressed about the management of a centre or the conduct of some staff. Protected disclosures have also been made in these instances. I find that the HSE tends not to run or provide disability services in many cases. It tends to prefer to have section 39 organisations or charities do so. That is fine if there is proper oversight. However, when a budget has been allocated, there is often very little accountability about how it is spent. I am not suggesting it is spent badly or anything like that because much of the service provision is good. However, there are opportunities for fraud and that is happening too. When things go wrong the HSE sweeps in, dismisses a few people and hires a high-cost investigator to come up with a predetermined outcome. Very often, the person who first raised the concerns and made the protected disclosure is scapegoated. These individuals end up being ostracised, as Deputy Conway-Walsh pointed out. That has to stop. These people have to be protected for doing the right thing.

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