Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 83: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress made with regard to the Government's proposals to provide legal protection on a sectoral basis for whistleblowers who may wish to expose illegalities or wrongdoing on the part of their employers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37896/05]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Whistleblowers Protection Bill 1999 is still retained on the Government legislative programme. However, as previously stated on a number of occasions in the Dáil, it is now considered, on reflection, that the provision of statutory protection for whistleblowers on a sectoral basis might provide a better and more focused approach to dealing with this issue. Recent legislative initiatives in this regard are: section 27 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, which came into effect from 1 September 2005 and provides for protection against dismissal and penalisation of employees who, in good faith, take steps to protect themselves or others in a workplace situation; and section 124 of the Garda Síochána Bill 2004, which provides for regulations relating to the reporting of corruption and malpractice in the Garda Síochána.

I intend to move an amendment on Committee Stage of the Employment Permits Bill 2005 relating to protection for whistleblowers. Committee Stage of this Bill will be taken in the Dáil early in 2006.