Department of Justice receives 32 whistleblower complaints so far this year

Thirty-two protected disclosures were received by Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan up to the beginning of October, indicating there will be a significant reduction on the record 78 allegations of wrongdoing made last year.The figure is the highest of all departments. The Department of Health is next, with 46 disclosures in 2025 and 25 to date this year.O’Callaghan said that between 2019 and 2025, “external contractors were engaged in the assessment, investigation and review of reports during that period at a cost of €894,566”. A total of 182 protected disclosures have been made to the department since 2019. READ MOREDisclosures can also be made directly to the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner (OPDC). The independent body forwards whistleblower allegations to the “appropriate prescribed person”, or the commissioner may deal with the complaint where such a person does not exist. The Minister said the 32 disclosures so far this year were “transmitted directly” to the OPDC in accordance with the Protected Disclosures Act and follow-up was ongoing in relation to three reports received in 2025. Under the legislation, no details of any specific protected disclosure can be revealed.Information on the number of such complaints emerged in reply to a series of parliamentary questions from Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly. “We’re looking to see if the legislation is being complied with in all instances and not being ignored,” he said. Almost €122,000 was spent on investigating complaints between 2019 and 2022.Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary has received 13 disclosures so far this year. The Minister said that after a number of related protected disclosures were received in 2023 and 2024, an external contractor was appointed to review “the investigation of a protected disclosure report received prior to 2019”, which cost €12,454.[ Tusla whistleblower asks gardaí to investigate alleged ‘retaliation and unlawful conduct’Opens in new window ]The Department of Finance has received 26 disclosures since 2019. Minister for Finance Simon Harris said the cost of engaging an external contractor to investigate a 2019 disclosure was €65,672.09.The Department of Housing has received three protected disclosures to date this year. It spent €2,518.42 on external services to review a disclosure received in 2021.Former minister for justice Helen McEntee came under pressure following the broadcast of the RTÉ Investigates Garda whistleblower controversy, which included claims that reforms aimed at protecting complainants were undermined by senior management.In the Dáil recently, Labour justice spokesman Alan Kelly accused McEntee, who was minister for justice for much of the period covered by the documentary, of acting “without legal authority” in a significant protected disclosure. The Minister insisted, however, that she had adhered to the law “at all times” and followed all procedures correctly. In another Dáil exchange, Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn claimed McEntee dismissed former executive director of human resources in An Garda Síochána, John Barrett, on the recommendation of former Garda commissioner Drew Harris, but “with no constitutional power to do so”.The Minister reiterated that she had adhered to the protected disclosures legislation and at all times responded “with the focus of making sure that any person who makes a protected disclosure is protected but also that the integrity is upheld”.Farrelly said he was “not seeking to cast doubt on anyone” but looking for uniformity across the departments and agencies in the processes of handling protected disclosures.He expressed concern that the Garda whistleblower case could put people off making a disclosure and make them feel “it’s not a safe space or a confidential process”.