The long awaited draft "whistleblowers" legislation
was published in July. The Protected Disclosures Bill was
passed at Committee Stage with no amendments on 1 October.
Currently there is no indication from the Oireachtas as to when
Report Stage will be taken in the Seanad. Following Report Stage,
the Bill will then move to the Dail for further consideration and
possible amendments.
The Employment Group at Matheson are preparing a submission to the
Dail in respect of certain aspects of the Bill which, in
consultation with clients, we believe still need to be addressed.
Relevant issues include the lack of a public interest requirement
in protected disclosures, and also limits on the standards of good
faith required for employees to make a disclosure, depending on who
it is made to. We will keep you updated as the Bill
progresses.
Please read our
July Ezine article which outlines the notable provisions of the
Bill which will affect the employment relationship and impact
employers in Ireland.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.