Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I understand the Senator is considering submitting an amendment on Report Stage. We have examined this area in the context of best international practice, including the ground-breaking legislation in the UK which examined the definition of "worker". In the UK and across all the jurisdictions we have looked at, there is a strong consensus among experts that whistleblower protection should not extend beyond the basis of the workplace relationship. The reasons for this conclusion have been examined in the regulatory impact analysis that I published in tandem with the Bill. I will not go through it now but perhaps Senators could read it before Report Stage to see why we are following the international consensus on this matter.