Protected Disclosures Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019

Tuesday, 23 July 2019

Questions (70)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

70. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of protected disclosures for which he has engaged an external consultancy and or legal firm since 2014 to date; the name of the firms engaged; the year and the costs associated with engaging the consultancy and or legal firms in respect of protected disclosures; the way in which persons are protected in cases in which an external consultancy firm is engaged in respect of protected disclosures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32396/19]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Defence

To date no external consultancy or legal firm in respect of Protected Disclosures has been engaged by my Department. For completeness of response, three individuals have assisted in dealing with three separate Protected Disclosures since 2014.  The associated total payments involved since 2014 were €33,835.24

However, the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) have put in place a national Framework for services related to the receipt and investigation of Protected Disclosures and my Department has recently signed a contract with Mazars arising from a tender competition under this Framework. The Framework arrangement and contract clearly set out and provides for the protections provided to persons under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014.