In the period 2017 to 2020 two Protected Disclosures were received by the Department, one in 2017 and one in 2019. No Protected Disclosures have been received in 2021 to date. One additional disclosure was received in late 2016 and has been the subject of examination in the period referred to.
In relation to the 2017 disclosure the Department responded at the time and the person who made the disclosure did not follow up to correspondence. It is open to the discloser to further engage with the Department if they so wish.
In relation to the 2019 disclosure there is ongoing correspondence with the person concerned. A full investigation was not deemed necessary as preliminary enquiries established sufficient information to show that the substantive issues being disclosed were known and were being addressed. I have received further correspondence in recent months from the person who made the 2019 disclosure and I am aware that the Deputy has separately raised a number of questions with regard to that matter.
In relation to the late 2016 disclosure, the details were referred to the relevant body for examination and a final report of is still awaited by the Department. An external consultancy examination of the correspondence was separately commissioned by the Department.
