I commend the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, on the coming into law of the long-awaited legislation to protect whistleblowers. He described the new Act as comprehensive and setting a new standard in international best practice in this area. It sends a clear message that whistleblowers' concerns must be listened to and acted upon and that those who make such reports should not be penalised for doing so.

This welcome development is in contrast to what happened in this House last week when some of my colleagues and I voted against the Government's inclusion of a gagging clause in the Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2014.

Well done.

We did so as individuals - some of us within this Technical Group would not necessarily vote together under normal circumstances. I opposed the provision in question as serving to restrict criticism of the health service, Health Service Executive and Department of Health. The requirement that general practitioners must give notice and seek approval before voicing any such criticism is unacceptable and a dilution of their natural rights. There is an inconsistency in the Government bringing forward this particular gagging clause while at the same time enacting legislation to protect whistleblowers. The reaction of certain colleagues on the Government side to the decision by some Independent Members to oppose the provision was less than generous and gracious. I do not want to be subjected to reactions that are on the other side of grace and manners when I decide to vote independently, which right I was given by the Taoiseach. He never asked me to do anything other than act in accordance with that independence.

Well said.