I am aware of the case to which the Deputy refers, which was dealt with in accordance with the protected disclosures policy in place, including an external review. The case is currently the subject of proceedings before the Workplace Relations Commission in accordance with the Protected Disclosures Act, 2014 and it would not therefore be appropriate to comment at this time.
The Irish Prison Service Protected Disclosures Policy was adopted and approved on the 30 October 2015. The purpose of the policy, in line with the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, is to encourage all workers to raise internally concerns about possible wrongdoing in the workplace so that these concerns can be investigated.
In order to ensure that all staff understand their role in handling a protected disclosure, attendance at Protected Disclosure training was rolled out and was mandatory for all senior staff in the Irish Prison Service.
The Irish Prison Service Protected Disclosure Policy is due for review in Autumn 2017 and all aspects of the policy will be considered in the light of learnings over the past two years. Consideration of the matters contained and arising from the external review referred to by the Deputy will feed into the review.
The Irish Prison Service has recently committed to the Integrity at Work Programme Membership and the Integrity at Work Pledge with Transparency Ireland. By joining the Integrity at Work Programme, the Irish Prison Service is making a public commitment to fostering a workplace in which staff feel safe when speaking up about wrongdoing. As part of this programme, the Irish Prison Service is currently undergoing an Integrity at Work needs analysis with Transparency Ireland which will also feed into the review in Autumn 2017.
