The Protected Disclosures Act 2014 was announced by the Minister for Expenditure and Public Reform, Brendan Howlin this morning. Speaking on the introduction of the legislation, he said it “sets a new standard in terms of international best practice for whistleblower protection”.
“It sends out a very clear message that whistleblowers’ concerns must be listened to and acted on and those who make such reports should not be penalised for doing so.”
The act marks a significant shift in protocol surrounding Protected Disclosures, removing any “good faith” or public interest tests which may act as a deterrent to people making such disclosures.
If an employee is dismissed for whistleblowing, they may be entitled to up to 5 years remuneration as a result of this new legislation.
The people who now enjoy such protection are all employees, including contractors, agency workers, gardaí and members of the Defence Forces.