Written answers

Wednesday, 13 May 2020

Department of Defence

Protected Disclosures

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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15. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of protected disclosures his Department has received since the legislation was introduced; the number of protected disclosures examined to conclusion by year in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5302/20]

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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There have been a total of 26 Protected Disclosures made between 2014 and 2019 with an additional three received to date in 2020. This figure relates to all Protected Disclosures which have been made both to the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces. These Protected Disclosures were submitted by serving individuals and also by individuals who were retired from the organisation at the time of making the discloser. In addition, some Protected Disclosures were made on an anonymous basis.

In accordance with the terms of section 22 of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 an annual report in relation to the total number of protected disclosures made in the preceding year is prepared and published on the departmental website

.

Reports for the years 2014 to 2018 are currently available on the website with the report for 2019 being finalised at present.

The following table sets out the number of Protected Disclosures per year of conclusion as set out in the annual reports. I would note that as the report is prepared in the early months of the following year and where a Protected Disclosure was finalised before the report is published it will be included in the most recent report finalised even if that is after 31 December of the year in question in order to reflect the most up to date position.

Year of completion Number Protected Disclosures examined to conclusion
2014 0
2015 1
2016 1
2017 8
2018 3

As I have previously stated, the health and welfare of the men and women of the Defence Forces are a priority to me and I am fully committed to compliance with the requirements of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 and to the protections contained in that Act . To this end, I want to ensure that those making protected disclosures are reassured that where such disclosures are made in accordance with the legislation that they are and will continue to be dealt with in a thorough and fair manner. I have made it clear to my Department and the Defence Forces that the protections of the Act must be afforded to those who make qualifying disclosures under the Act. I take very seriously any complaint of penalisation or threatened penalisation of a member of the Defence Forces for having made a protected disclosure and I note that a statutory mechanism for investigation is available to the complainant. The mechanism is the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces as provided for in Section 20 of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014.

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