60 protected disclosures across State departments since 2020

Of the  60 protected disclosures across the various Government departments since the beginning of 2020, the Department of Defence had by far the highest number. Picture: Billy Higgins

There have been 60 protected disclosures across the various Government departments since the beginning of 2020, according to new figures.

Of those, the Department of Defence had by far the highest number, with 14 disclosures in a 15-month period, according to new data. The department said seven disclosures since 2017 remain under investigation.

Since 2017, meanwhile, 209 separate, accepted disclosures have been lodged with the various departments. The numbers for complaints received overall were not clearly expressed by all departments responding, although the figure would appear to be a good deal higher than the figure for those accepted.

Information released to Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy via parliamentary question shows that 69 disclosures remain outstanding across Government at present.

Of those, 19 have emanated from the Department of Health. The Department of Justice, with 14, is the only other department with more than 10 disclosures yet to be finalised. Only one of those complaints remained with the department, with the remainder referred to a third party such as the HSE.

The Department of Health said just one of the 56 complaints it had received since 2017 (only 33 of which were accepted as a genuine protected disclosure) was lodged by a member of its own staff, in 2020.

External origins

Last week an RTÉ Investigates programme detailed the story of Shane Corr, the Department of Health employee who last year lodged a disclosure concerning the practice of gathering sensitive medical information about children with autism.

Indeed, the majority of disclosures received by Government departments do not emanate from within those entities themselves, but rather are lodged externally, according to the various responses.

The level of disclosures at the Department of Social Protection has stabilised somewhat over the past 15 months, with just four received. The same department had 38 protected disclosures made between 2014 and 2019, although 25 of those had been made by one individual.

Several departments, including finance, public expenditure, foreign affairs and housing have not received any disclosures since 2017.

Meanwhile, the Department of Higher Education, which has only existed since the formation of the current Government last June, has had 12 disclosures in that time, most likely inherited from the Department of Education.