Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 5, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following: “(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), the provisions of this Act, upon commencement, shall apply to protected disclosures made under the Principal Act or any other relevant enactment prior to this enactment.”.

These amendments attempt to make sure that the provisions of this Bill will apply to protected disclosures made before the Bill is enacted. This is the top recommendation that came from pre-legislative scrutiny by the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach. It is also a key concern for whistleblowers when a process is under way that has affected and impacted them in an ongoing way. Many of them have never received anything in terms of payments as regards making a complaint. I believe those people should be entitled to any support possible in the legislation.