Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-16
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Micheál Martin (FF), Cork South-Central

First of all, I have not seen the programme yet and I did not hear any of the material on radio this morning; I did not get the opportunity. The first thing I will do is get an opportunity to see the programme itself. I will not see it live tonight. I am at a function this evening but I hope to get an opportunity. I will get to see it. It is difficult to pre-empt seeing the entirety of it. Deputy McDonald is asking me to comment before the programme airs. That is problematic - day one. The second point is that there is, as the Deputy knows well, comprehensive legislation governing whistleblowers and there are robust structures, policies and procedures in place across the criminal justice system - indeed, across the entire governmental system. That is to ensure the effective management of protected disclosures and to provide support to people making disclosures under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, which was amended in 2022. Those Acts were part of the then Government's comprehensive approach to strengthening protections available to whistleblowers, including members of An Garda Síochána. Under the Acts and the legislation, as the Deputy knows, Garda members and staff may confidentially disclose allegations of wrongdoing within An Garda Síochána to An Garda Síochána or to Fiosrú, and An Garda Síochána and Fiosrú are operationally independent and both bodies have their own protected disclosures mechanisms in place.
The Deputy's questions at the end were fairly loaded as if she was suggesting someone politically might have ordered. I hope she was not. I am not clear what she was saying by putting those questions. We are not operationally involved in protected disclosures. Government Ministers are not either. There is a very distinct mechanism in place and both An Garda Síochána and Fiosrú have their own protected disclosures mechanisms. The Act also affords protection to persons making protected disclosures.
Again, part of that protection rightly prioritises the confidentiality of the process, which is central to the efficacy of the process. There is a real paradox here now in that the very people within An Garda Síochána, or within the management and so on, are actually not in a position to comment specifically because protected disclosures have been served. That is something, because the Oireachtas passed this. There was never any issue about this and about the confidential nature of it as a protection for those who might wish to make a protected disclosure in any area of public administration.
Again, I will look at the programme. In the first instance, a new protected disclosures unit was established by the Garda Commissioner in January of 2025 within the Garda professional standards unit. My understanding is that was undertaken to strengthen the arrangements in place for investigating protected disclosures; strengthen in terms of personnel and exclusive control. By that I mean rather than having part-time people overseeing protective disclosures that there be a dedicated unit with a dedicated lead person in respect of it.
I am given to understand from An Garda Síochána and the Department of justice that An Garda Síochána encourages and supports employees in disclosing wrongdoing. Any allegations that have been made under the Protected Disclosures Act to An Garda Síochána are treated seriously and are examined for any potential discipline or criminal matters that may arise, so there is a process under way already.
Is rud an-tábhachtach é seo. I dtús báire, caithfidh mé an clár a fheiceáil.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:48+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-16