Whistle-blowing - Why should they bother?

For those who believe that whistle-blower legislation will be an effective tool in reforming this society evidence given to yesterday’s sitting of the Dáil Public Accounts Committee will be very disheartening.

The committee heard that Waterford Institute of Technology’s financial officer had expressed concerns about former WIT president Kieran Byrne’s travel expenses a decade before lavish spending cost him his job. Prof Byrne was not reappointed when it was disclosed that his office spent €3.7m since 2004, including almost €300,000 on hospitality and nearly €140,000 on taxis or couriers.

Anyone considering putting their job or career at risk by exposing this kind of behaviour might well ask why they should bother.