Protected Disclosures

The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment and its Management Board is strongly committed to supporting a culture where all our workers can safely speak up and report any concerns of relevant wrongdoing as defined in the legislation, and to provide the necessary supports to those who raise genuine concerns.

Free and independent supports are available to anyone considering making, or having made, a protected disclosure. Anyone can contact the free and confidential Speak Up helpline (1800 844 866) or use the Secure Report Form, email or post, which is operated by Transparency International Ireland. This is completely independent of the department.

The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment has updated its Protected Disclosures Policy to take account of the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022.

A protected disclosure is a disclosure of information which, in the reasonable belief of a worker, tends to show one or more relevant wrongdoings that came to the attention of the worker in a work-related context and is disclosed in the manner prescribed in the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 as amended by the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022.

The following people can make a protected disclosure under the department's Protected Disclosure Policy:

All "workers" in the department as defined in section 3 of the 2014 Act including:

• current and former employees
• volunteers
• shareholders
• independent contractors
• interns and trainees
• job candidates
• civil servants – for the purpose of the Act "worker" includes an individual who is or was a Civil Servant (within the meaning of the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956).

The policy sets out the process by which a worker can make a Protected Disclosure, the way in which such reports are handled and what the department will do to protect the reporting person.

Protected Disclosures made by post should be marked confidential and sent to:

• Protected Disclosures, Internal Governance Division, Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment,
• or by email to ProtectedDisclosures@dcee.gov.ie

Protected disclosures may be made to the Minister or Minister of State of the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, by post marked confidential to:

• Minister / Minister of State for the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Tom Johnson House, Haddington Road, Dublin 4, D04 K7X4.
• or by email to MinisterProtectedDisclosures@dcee.gov.ie

In accordance with the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022, Protected Disclosures received by the Minister or Minister for State will be forwarded directly to the Protected Disclosures Commissioner within 10 calendar days of receipt.

Certain persons are prescribed to receive protected disclosures ("prescribed persons"). This includes the heads or senior officials of a range of bodies involved in the supervision or regulation of certain sectors of the economy or society.

The full list of prescribed persons is contained in SI 367 of 2020.

Full details of the internal and external reporting procedures can be found in the department’s Protected Disclosure Policy.

Annual Reports on Protected Disclosures are published on the department's website in accordance with Section 22 of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014.