Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

Everybody should be protected, particularly when they raise wrongdoing with public bodies. I think we all share that objective across the House. We have two areas of legislation between 2014 and 2022, some of which was the transposition of EU legislation and also policy direction in an Irish context. We have different points now in the context of the European review, which is happening, and the wider review that will happen in the Irish context, on which we would welcome inputs from across the House and from whistleblowers. We have brought through reforms. As a Department, we are funding the supports in terms of Transparency International Ireland, to support whistleblowers making any claims. Exchequer funding has been given this year to Transparency International Ireland as part of legal advice to be provided to those who want to make a protected disclosure. I welcome that the European Commission has an ongoing review of this, so we will listen to the wider public feedback on the particular domestic regimes that exist in different member states. That will allow any required reforms out of that to occur.

I share the broader objectives relating to ensuring that we have a protected disclosure regime which supports and protects whistleblowers. That is my policy interest in this area.

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