Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Government is preparing important whistleblower legislation. We should also include in it provision for non-whistleblowers. Perhaps they should be called whistle inhalers or whistle swallowers. At the weekend, a major figure in one of the banks said he knew the tapes existed but said nothing because no one asked him. That opting out should not be allowed in the new legislation. In the US, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002 provides for mandatory disclosure in matters relating to stocks and bonds. Someone saying that he said nothing because no one asked him is not acceptable as we attempt to deal with the banking situation. There should be a duty to speak up in the whistleblower legislation and a penalty for non-whistleblowers.