Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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354. To ask the Minister for Health if allegations are being independently investigated regarding reports from a whistleblower concerning patients' deaths in the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38644/16]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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355. To ask the Minister for Health if he and his Department are assured that protections for whistleblowers are in place to prevent isolation and harassment of them after they make allegations in the workplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38645/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 354 and 355 together.

Under Section 21 of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, all public bodies must establish and maintain procedures for the making of protected disclosures by workers who are or were employed by the public body and for dealing with such disclosures. I can confirm that my Department and the HSE have procedures in place to deal with protected disclosures in line with that Act. Reports in the media on 22 November referred to a protected disclosure alleging links between deaths in University Hospital Limerick and multi-resistant infection in the hospital. Regarding the specific protected disclosure, I have written to the person concerned and my Department is in contact with the HSE and the disclosure is being managed in accordance with the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on such matters.