Protected Disclosures

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The Protected Disclosures Act 2014 can provide certain protections where you report wrongdoing in the workplace. To qualify for the protections under the Act, you must meet certain conditions. In general, these conditions are that you must be a worker reporting information you obtained in a work related context that you reasonably believe tends to show relevant wrongdoing. Additional conditions apply depending on to whom you are making your report.

The Act was updated by the Protected Disclosures Amendment Act 2022, which commenced on January 1, 2023. The Commission has obligations to accept, assess, and investigate reports made to it under the Act. The Act does not cover matters arising under the Lobbying Regulation Act, 2015.

The Protected Disclosures Act 2014 requires public bodies to publish an annual report setting out the number of protected disclosures made the previous year, and the actions that were taken. A list of previous annual reports can be found at the bottom of this page.

 

How are disclosures made to the Commission?

Protected disclosures can be made to disclosures@sipo.ie.

Disclosures made to the Commission are dealt with by Designated Persons prescribed under the Act to carry out it's functions on behalf of the Commission.

The Head of Ethics and Lobbying Regulation (referred to in the protected disclosure regulations as the Secretary to the Standards in Public Office Commission) is a prescribed person under the Act (Statutory Instrument 339 of 2014, as amended by Statutory Instrument 448 of 2015).

 

What kind of disclosures can be made?

You can make disclosures to the Head of Ethics and Lobbying Regulation on matters relating to the supervision of:

  • The Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001 – including investigations and reports on possible breaches of the Acts
  • The Electoral Acts 1992 to 2014, such as:
    • The disclosure of donations to political parties, members of the Oireachtas, members of the European Parliament, and candidates at elections to the Dáil, Seanad and the European Parliament
    • The obligations of third parties
    • The obligations of corporate donors
    • The monitoring of election candidates’ and political parties’ spending limits
    • The monitoring of political party use of Exchequer funding
  • The Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Act 2014 (No 6 of 2014) in regard to political parties’ and independents’ use of parliamentary activities allowances

For further information on Protected Disclosures, please visit the office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner using the button below.

Office of protected disclosures

Reports of protected disclosures to the Standards Commission

One protected disclosure was received in 2022, however, having considered the complaint in accordance with the legislative provisions of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, the Commission was of the view that the matter did not qualify as a protected disclosure. The complainant was notified accordingly.

One protected disclosure was received in 2021, however, having considered the complaint the Commission was of the view that the matters raised were not within its remit and the complainant was notified accordingly.

A protected disclosure received in 2019 was examined by the Commission and was subsequently closed in 2021.

No new protected disclosures were received in 2020. A disclosure made in 2019 remained under consideration in 2020.

One protected disclosure was received in 2019, which was considered by the Commission in accordance with the provisions of the Ethics Acts. The complaint was still under consideration at the time of this report.

One protected disclosure was received in 2018, however, having considered the complaint the Commission was of the view that there was insufficient information to proceed and the complainant was notified accordingly.

A protected disclosure received in late 2017 was examined by the Commission and was subsequently closed in 2018. 

One protected disclosure was received in 2017, which was considered by the Commission in accordance with provisions of the Ethics Acts.  The Commission considered that many of the issues raised were not within its remit and fell instead within the remit of other public bodies.  A response issued accordingly. However, as one of the matters raised did fit within the Commission's mandate, it was referred for assessment in accordance with the Ethics in Public Office Acts. Consideration of the matter is ongoing as at the time of this report. 

There were no protected disclosures received.

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