Female whistleblowers more likely to suffer negative consequences, report finds

The number of all whistleblowers who suffer some form of penalisation has increased by 70% since 2019. File photo

Women who blow the whistle on wrongdoing in the workplace are more likely to experience negative consequences as a result, a new report has found.

Transparency International Ireland said its new report also shows that being able to access external advice is one of the strongest factors in protecting whistleblowers from retaliation.

“Ireland has made notable progress in legislating for whistleblowing safeguards," the organisation’s chief executive John Devitt said. “But we still see too many people who pay a price for speaking up.” 

The findings draw on anonymised data from 2,800 people who sought guidance from its “Speak Up” helpline between 2011 and 2024 and analysis from a recent survey of Irish employees and employers.

It found that half of women who said they had reported wrongdoing at work suffered negative consequences compared to 37% of men who reported the same. 

Over a third (37.5%) of all whistleblowers suffer some form of penalisation, and this has increased by 70% since 2019, according to Transparency International Ireland.

Health, social services and charities and NGOs were the most reported sectors, with education-sector whistleblowers reporting the highest numbers of reprisal.

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The importance of having external advice from the likes of a trade union was also highlighted, as whistleblowers who received such supports were 20% less likely to suffer negative consequences compared to those without access to this help.

“It’s concerning that more whistleblowers who contacted us are reporting retaliation, but at the same time encouraging to see that culture and supports can improve outcomes,” Donncha Ó Giobúin, lead researcher on the report and senior helpline co-ordinator at Transparency International Ireland said.

“Workers are safest when employers are open and accountable, when senior leaders act with integrity, and when people can seek independent advice before deciding how to report wrongdoing.” 

The group pointed to EU data which shows women being less likely to believe they can safely report corruption with male-dominated organisational and management cultures creating environments preventing women from speaking up.

Recommendations

It recommended that all public and private bodies provide gender-disaggregated data arising from protected disclosures, as well as dedicated outreach, counselling and peer-support services for women who experience workplace retaliation.

More widely, the report recommended extending legal aid to whistleblowers along with removing the cap on compensation for whistleblowers under the Protected Disclosures Act.

“Access to impartial external advice and measures aimed at ensuring that action is taken in response to concerns are essential if the law is to work in practice,” Mr Devitt added.