Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Section 22(9) of the Act, as amended, provides for the protected disclosures commissioner to prepare and publish an annual report on the operation of the Act not later than four months after the end of each calendar year. The Office of the Ombudsman has suggested, and I have agreed, that this should be extended to six months after the end of each year to align the reporting date with the other statutory reports published annually by the Ombudsman. These amendments give effect to this proposed change.