Sharon Butler Hughes

Reading today’s Irish Mail on Sunday interview with former Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe, I was struck by his concerns that little has changed in how those who speak out about wrongdoing are treated. Maurice McCabe has endured more than most people could imagine, yet he continues to speak out on behalf of other whistleblowers who find themselves facing similar difficulties. His comments should concern everyone who believes in transparency, accountability and the right of workers to report wrongdoing without fear of retaliation. This is not just an issue within An Garda Síochána, nor is it confined to the public sector. Whistleblowers across our health service, the Defence Forces, the Prison Service, education, charities, voluntary organisations and the private sector have raised serious concerns about how they have been treated after making protected disclosures. Regardless of where a person works, they should be entitled to the same effective protections when reporting wrongdoing. Having legislation in place is one thing. Ensuring that it actually protects those who speak out is another. Earlier this week, I had the privilege of accompanying Professor Dympna Waldron, alongside Helen Mc Mahon, to a meeting with Labour Party leader @ivanabacik to discuss the review of the Protected Disclosures Act. I want to acknowledge Ivana’s willingness to listen directly to the experiences and concerns of whistleblowers. To the best of my knowledge, @ivanabacik is the first political party leader to engage directly with whistleblowers on the review of the Protected Disclosures Act. I believe this is an important development, and I sincerely hope other political party leaders will follow her example. During the meeting, we raised concerns about the effectiveness of the current legislation, the need for genuinely independent investigations, stronger accountability for penalisation and retaliation, and access to independent, publicly funded legal advice and representation for whistleblowers. I also believe that whistleblowers themselves must have a meaningful role in reviewing the legislation. Who better to identify its shortcomings than those who have experienced the consequences of speaking out? For too long, many whistleblowers in both the public and private sectors have found themselves fighting to protect their reputations, livelihoods and families, often at considerable personal and financial cost. Whistleblowers are not looking for special treatment. They are looking for fair treatment, proper investigations, accountability and the protection the law is supposed to provide. Maurice McCabe’s interview is another reminder of why this review matters. I hope all political parties will engage directly with whistleblowers from both the public and private sectors and listen carefully to their experiences before decisions are made about the future of the legislation. The real test of the Protected Disclosures Act is not what it promises on paper, but what happens to a person after they have the courage to speak out. Peter Behan #Whistleblowers #MauriceMcCabe #ProtectedDisclosures #Accountability #WhistleblowerProtection