Last week, Independent Ireland tabled a Private Members' motion relating to the protection of whistleblowers. Part of our motion was to remove the protection for civil servants who are knowingly acting outside of their remit whereby they would not get protected by the State if they are knowingly acting outside the remit of their work. I asked at the time for an open vote from Government on the motion and it did not allow it. Why are we protecting people who are knowingly breaking the law within the Civil Service? This motion would have actually enacted that and protected people who are doing right, and people who are doing wrong within the service would be held personally accountable. I asked for an open vote and the Government did not allow it. Can the Taoiseach please tell me why?

We have a party Whip system, and we do not have open votes on every single Private Members' Bill that comes before the House-----

What about this question?

-----but in terms of protection of whistleblowers, there is very comprehensive legislation to protect whistleblowers. That is there and there are good systems in place and avenues by which disclosures can be made, dealt with and responded to in a systemic way. I am not clear in terms of the Deputy's comment on civil servants knowingly breaching the law. The law is there to be enforced. If the Deputy knows people have broken the law, he should report it to the Garda, which can follow it up. We need to be careful, however. The vast majority of public servants work in the best interests of this country-----

Agreed.

-----and for the people of this country. Every now and again, we need to affirm people in their work-----

It is the minority I am talking about.

Yes, I know, but we tend to give everyone a bad name.

No, it is the minority. I praise the ones who are doing the good work. It is the minority who are doing bad work.