Huge damage done to whistleblowing concept

The signals being sent out to prospective whistleblowers are obvious, writes Michael Clifford.

DO THEY have any idea of the damage they are doing? Do they care? While the body politic contorts itself on Martin’s Callinan’s formula of words, deep cynicism informs attitudes towards the basic tenet of democracy.

Members of both government parties, and Fianna Fáil, have, in recent days, trotted out platitudes about whistleblowers and their importance to democracy. Recently, legislation has gone through the Oireachtas to protect whistleblowers and cherish them as unique figures. Everybody in the body politic applauds the outcome of blowing whistles on the abuse of the penalty points system.