Whistleblowing and Protected Disclosures Workshop (Prescribed Persons)

Keeping abreast of and complying with changing employment legislation is an ongoing challenge for Prescribed Persons. The new whistleblowing rules introduced with the adoption of the Protected Disclosures Act in January 2023 present a number of difficulties for employers.

New Statutory Guidance issued in November 2023 emphasised the importance of organisational culture, ethics and integrity as a key determining factor in how a successful protected disclosure channel will operate in practice.

All organisations with 50 or more employees (down from last year’s threshold of 250) are now required to have whistleblowing systems in place to ensure they are in line with the Protected Disclosures legislation and all public bodies, organisations designated as a Prescribed Person and private sector organisations should have regard to the guidance and be in general conformity with its principles.

Now is the time for Irish employers to not only ensure their organisations are compliant with new laws but also to go above and beyond minimum requirements to instil best practices and foster a culture of transparency, accountability and trust in their workplaces.

As part of the Integrity at Work programme, Transparency International (TI) Ireland is hosting an online workshop to help employers to review their current systems for dealing with disclosures.

The workshop will address the following questions:

• What are the duties of Prescribed Persons under the amended Protected Disclosures legislation?
• How will Prescribed Personsbe required to respond to and manage reports/disclosures?
• What support and resources are available to both workers and employers?

The workshop will be facilitated by TI Ireland Associates:

Gráinne Madden is the founder and senior consultant of GMJ Associates, which provides guidance to Irish businesses on responsible business practice. Gráinne's work includes development of corporate responsibility/ESG strategy, non-financial reporting, governance reviews, development and implementation of ethical compliance programmes and protected disclosure policies. Gráinne also lectures on Corporate Responsibility to MSc and MBA students.

Rory Treanor is a barrister specialising in Employment litigation and the conduct of sensitive workplace investigations, disciplinary hearings and appeals. Rory has taught for the Law Society and CIPD. He has written policy papers for political parties and non-governmental organisations in the areas of transparency, anti-corruption and employee rights. In addition, Rory has provided training to employers, employees and their representatives regarding practice and procedure before the Workplace Relations Commission and Labour Court. He has also advised legislators on the implementation of the Whistleblower’s Directive.

Location

The online workshop will be administered using Zoom. An invitation will be sent to all participants one day before the workshop is due to take place.

Integrity at Work Courses & Events – Terms and Conditions

About Integrity at Work

The Integrity at Work (IAW) programme has been designed by TI Ireland to help foster workplaces where people are supported to raise concerns of wrongdoing and act with integrity. Our members include government departments, public sector bodies, charities, regulators and companies. IAW events and training provide an opportunity to share best practice, to learn about legal developments and to develop strategies to promote ethical standards and build trust amongst staff and stakeholders.