Richard O'Donoghue demands open vote on whistleblower protections
Richard O'Donoghue challenged the government over its refusal to allow an open vote on a private member's motion concerning whistleblower protections. He argued the motion would strip protection from civil servants who knowingly act outside their remit and would hold wrongdoers personally accountable.
Richard O'Donoghue said Independent Ireland brought a private member's motion to protect whistleblowers and to remove protection for civil servants knowingly working outside their remit. He asked for an open vote on that PMB and said government did not allow it.
O'Donoghue asked why the State would protect people within the civil service who are knowingly breaking the law, arguing the PMB would protect those doing right while ensuring those doing wrong would be held personally accountable.
A government reply acknowledged the party whip system limits open votes on every private member's bill but stated there is comprehensive legislation and systemic avenues in place to protect whistleblowers and to handle disclosures.
The government response also said the law should be enforced and that anyone aware of alleged wrongdoing should report it to the Gardaí so it can be investigated. It emphasised that the vast majority of public servants work in the public interest and only a minority should not be allowed to give the whole service a bad name.
The exchange concluded with procedural thanks and a brief, partly fragmented personal remark from the speaker referring to a tweet and family, ending the contribution to the debate.
Private member's motion and open vote
Richard O'Donoghue said Independent Ireland brought a private member's motion to protect whistleblowers and to remove protection for civil servants knowingly working outside their remit. He asked for an open vote on that PMB and said government did not allow it.
Central question posed to government
O'Donoghue asked why the State would protect people within the civil service who are knowingly breaking the law, arguing the PMB would protect those doing right while ensuring those doing wrong would be held personally accountable.
Government response on existing protections
A government reply acknowledged the party whip system limits open votes on every private member's bill but stated there is comprehensive legislation and systemic avenues in place to protect whistleblowers and to handle disclosures.
Enforcement and reporting advice
The government response also said the law should be enforced and that anyone aware of alleged wrongdoing should report it to the Gardaí so it can be investigated. It emphasised that the vast majority of public servants work in the public interest and only a minority should not be allowed to give the whole service a bad name.
Closing and final remarks
The exchange concluded with procedural thanks and a brief, partly fragmented personal remark from the speaker referring to a tweet and family, ending the contribution to the debate.
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Transcript
Last week, Independent Ireland brought a private member's motion for the protection of whistleblowers and also part of our motion was to remove the protection for civil servants that are acting outside of their remit, knowingly working outside their remit, that they would not get protected by the State if they were knowingly acting outside the remit of their work. I asked at the time for an open vote from government on the PMB and you did not allow it. Why are we protecting people that are knowingly breaking the law within a civil service? This PMB would have enacted that and protected people that are doing right and people that are doing wrong within a service. They would be held personally accountable and I asked for an open vote and you did not allow it. Can you please tell me why? We do have a party whip system and we do not have open votes on every single private member's bill that comes before the House, but in terms of protection of whistleblowers, there is very comprehensive legislation to protect whistleblowers. That is there and there are good systems there, avenues by which disclosures can be made in a systemic way and dealt with in a systemic way and responded to. I am not clear in terms of your comment on civil servants unknowingly breaching the law. The law is there to be enforced. If you know people who have broken the law, report it to the Gardaí, Gardaí can follow it, but I think we need to be careful, the vast, vast, vast majority of public servants work in the best interests of this country and the people of this country. We need to, every now and again, we need to affirm people in their work. The minority. Yes, I know, but we tend to give everyone a bad name. The minority. Thank you. Thank you, Deputy. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I want to say yes. I have a Twitter this last Saturday in this, let me walk in the wild water. I came from my family to my mother. でも. Welcome. Thank you. What you've got to do with the 92ndburns to?