Tom Clonan (Independent)

I wish to mark this occasion by welcoming the release of the remaining hostages to their families in Israel. In this House - with the leadership shown by the Taoiseach and Tánaiste and this Government and that which preceded it - we have had many dark moments recognising the loss of life in Gaza and the ongoing genocide, which has now come to what will hopefully be a permanent halt. At this current point, I really hope it will be a permanent ceasefire. I wish to raise the issue of the whistleblower, Mr. Noel McGree, a member of the Irish Prison Service who blew the whistle on wrongdoing in the Irish Prison Service, which was subsequently investigated by retired Judge William Early, who found that serious wrongdoing had taken place within the Prison Service to the tune of approximately €20 million of a cost to the taxpayer. Unfortunately, despite the protections contained within the whistleblower legislation and EU directives, which are supposed to protect whistleblowers against reprisal, by appointment this morning, Noel McGree and his wife, Antoinette McGree, were evicted from their family home at 10 a.m., and with them their sons Matthew and Harry, aged 22 and 17, respectively. To outline part of the reason they were evicted, due to the reprisal visited upon Noel McGree within the Prison Service, he felt he was in an unsafe work environment and took sick leave. Unfortunately, given the circumstances, his payment was compromised and he now finds himself in this situation. I remind the House that whistleblowers-----