Apart from this website, there are a number of other resources available for information on protected disclosures.
Transparency International is an independent, non-governmental organisation: www.transparency.ie
Transparency International Ireland operates a confidential helpline, and provides access to free legal advice on making protected disclosure through Transparency Legal Advice Centre. The Helpline can provide free referrals for professional counselling on request.
Transparency International Ireland (TI Ireland) and the Irish Refugee Council have launched of a joint project titled ‘Speak Up Safely – Support for Vulnerable Workers’. They aim to ensure that vulnerable workers, including asylum seekers and migrant workers, can speak up about unsafe working conditions with the benefit of guidance on their rights and access to free legal advice: www.speakup.ie
TII cannot provide legal advice to employers and/or recipients of protected disclosures.
The Citizens Information website provides additional information on Protected Disclosures on its page ‘Protection for whistleblowers’ : www.citizensinformation.ie
The Workplace Relations Commission has prepared a Code of Practice giving guidance and setting out best practice to help employers, workers and their representatives understand the law in regard to the disclosure of information regarding wrongdoing in the workplace and how to deal with the disclosure of such information: https://www.workplacerelations.ie
If you decide to report to a ‘prescribed person’ rather than your employer, you should be careful to choose the right person or organisation for your issue. For example, if you are reporting a breach of data protection law, you should contact the Data Protection Commission.
A list of ‘prescribed persons’ you can report wrongdoings to and a description of the matters you can report to them is on the website of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
The legislation governing protected disclosures is the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 . It was amended in 2022 to include, among other things the establishment of the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner.
Check out our FAQ Section for more information