Whistleblower law - No excuse for stalling

Everybody in society is going to end up paying for the current financial debacle, but in many instances it will be the people at the bottom of the ladder – those who had nothing to do with what went wrong – who will probably be compelled to shoulder a disproportionate share of the burden.

Those who, through their maladministration, bungling indifference, or sheer greed, essentially slew the Celtic Tiger may well walk away having been rewarded for their incompetence, or for ripping off Irish society. Those who committed criminal offences should be held accountable.

Our whole system of justice is essentially on trial, because there is a growing perception that the poor woman who steals clothes for her children will ultimately go to jail, but the banker or businessman who pockets hundreds of thousands, or even millions, is untouchable. There is enormous public frustration that none of those involved in the banking scandal have been prosecuted.