Annual Report of Protected Disclosures 2023
Under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, the Chief Executive Officer of the Health and Safety Authority is prescribed as a recipient of protected disclosures in relation to all matters associated with legislation enforced by the Health and Safety Authority. They are also responsible for accreditation of laboratories, certification bodies and inspection bodies through the Irish National Accreditation Board within the Health and Safety Authority. Internal disclosures relating to the Authority can also be made by relevant workers as defined by the Act.
Under Section 22 of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, each public body is required to publish an annual report setting out the number of protected disclosures received in the preceding year and the action taken. The publication of the data in the report must be provided in a way that protects the identity of the disclosers.
From 1 January to 31 December 2023, the Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority, in the context of their role as a prescribed person under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, received 38 reports of alleged wrongdoing from parties external to the Authority related to third parties. Of these, 17 reports of wrongdoing were made directly and 21 were transferred from another prescribed person. Of the 38 reports of wrongdoing, 23 were deemed to be protected disclosures to be investigated under the Authority’s remit. All disclosures were subsequently referred to Authority inspectors for investigation. Nineteen of the disclosures received in 2023 have been closed out and four remain under investigation. No internal disclosures were received.
The table below provides a breakdown of the protected disclosures received in 2023, the number of investigations that were opened as a result of the protected disclosures and the status and outcome of the investigations which have been concluded.
Protected Disclosures received in 2023 | Number |
Reports made directly to the Authority | 19 |
Reports transmitted to the Authority from another Prescribed Person or the Protected Disclosures Commissioner | 21 |
Investigations opened by the Authority following reports received in 2023 | 23 |
Investigations and proceedings closed by the Authority following reports received in 2023 | 17 |
Investigations and proceedings closed by the Authority in 2023 following reports received
prior to 2023 | 6 |
Investigations and proceedings launched by the Authority as a result of reports received in 2023, and which concluded in 2023, resulted in 28 Enforcement Orders being served, which included 17 Reports of Inspection and 11 Improvement Notices.
Six investigations, opened on foot of protected disclosures received in 2022 or previous years and still ongoing at 31 December 2022, were concluded during 2023.
Reports from previous years
