Bríd Smith says Protected Disclosure Bill is 'deficient and defunct'
Bríd Smith read a whistleblower email and criticised the Protected Disclosure Amendment Bill 2020 and the Protected Disclosure Amendment Bill 2022, saying the proposals are "deficient and defunct" and not fit for purpose. She said legal advice indicated the framework is inappropriate, would not deliver an Article 13 remedy, and could discriminate against those who raised concerns.
Whistleblower concerns
The speech opens with a whistleblower email asserting that the Protected Disclosure Amendment Bill 2020, as currently proposed by the minister, is "deficient and defunct." The whistleblower expresses disappointment and warns the framework is unsuitable for its intended purpose.
Legal advice and Article 13
Bríd Smith cites legal advice that the proposed framework is inappropriate and will fail to deliver an effective remedy as provided under Article 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights. She emphasises that the legal opinion undercuts the Bill's stated objectives.
Accountability and rights
She warns the Bill will not hold those who penalise whistleblowers to account and says it will discriminate against people who previously raised concerns, describing that outcome as a breach of constitutional rights.
Legislative process criticised
Bríd Smith criticises the pace and handling of the legislation, saying it is being rushed, changed at the last minute and pushed through in an unsatisfactory manner. She frames this approach as a wider problem in how pieces of legislation are progressed.
Request for ministerial response
She asks the minister to comment on the whistleblower's concerns and expresses strong disappointment at the current approach to the Protected Disclosure proposals.
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I would just like to read briefly from an email I received from a whistleblower to say the following. We are disappointed to report that the Protected Disclosure Amendment Bill 2020, as currently proposed by Minister McGrath, is deficient and defunct. Legal advice recently informed that this framework is inappropriate and not suitable for the intended purpose. The Protected Disclosure Amendment Bill phased to deliver an effective remedy as provided under Article 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Unfortunately, Ireland has a recognised history in this behaviour. The Protected Disclosure Amendment Bill 2022 is not fit for purpose. It will not supplant the framework document for the investigation of protected disclosures and penalisation. Despite legal opinion that this framework is inappropriate and not fit for purpose, it will not hold those who penalise to account. It will discriminate against those who have previously raised concerns, which is a breach of our constitutional rights. I would like you to comment on that, Minister, and we are very, very disappointed to see this being rushed through in this manner. It is too important and it has actually become the hallmark of this Government to take pieces of legislation at the last minute, change them and push them through in this very unsatisfactory manner. This is what we're trying to put in and out there is now in the centre of our own calls, which, for our own unpleasant Kilimanjaro of waterproof this is the one that is already going into the centre of업un齡国 and other animals. You can't do that to them in as � Norway should look at the styling of a Raisin 0.115айте, because I'm takingarring ixin 0.115 Seiten for this component. You can only readableева. It's done particularly不好 and Keith is in front of our eye, and you can modify the language. You can look at the mystical check that out there in the Grandpa. You can read past the upcoming resurrection of that.
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