The Government is to bring in new laws to stop whistleblowers who report wrongdoing in the workplace from being sacked.
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said he wants the additional reforms to protect workers, as the Government signed off on the legislation.
"It is important that persons who provide this information will not be dismissed from their employment or suffer penalisation in the workplace," the Minister said.
Under the new laws, part of the Criminal Justice Bill 2011, anyone who fails to give information to gardaí to prevent a crime or secure a prosecution could face up to five years in jail.
Mr Shatter said he plans to include strong legal protection for whistleblowers to prevent them being sacked or penalised for reporting wrongdoing. He said the safeguards will underpin reforms in the Bill to deal specifically with complex white-collar crime.
"The protections that I intend to provide are substantial and will provide for criminal penalties where an employee penalises a whistleblower, as well as easily-accessible civil law remedies for employees," Mr Shatter said.
"An employee will be able to seek redress from a Rights Commissioner and ultimately from the Labour Court." The Criminal Justice Bill 2011 is before the Dáil and aims to help gardai speed up investigations into complex white-collar crime. Mr Shatter said he wants it enacted before the summer recess at the end of the month.
The issue of protection for whistleblowers was highlighted last month after a care worker at the now closed Rostrevor Nursing Home in south Dublin alleged abuse of elderly residents.
PA