Protected Disclosures Act 2014

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Interpretation

3. (1) In this Act—

“contract of employment” means contract of service or apprenticeship, whether express or implied, and (if express) whether oral or in writing;

“disclosure”, in a case in which information disclosed is information of which the person receiving the information is already aware, means bringing to the person’s attention;

“educational establishment” means any university, college, school or other educational establishment;

“employee” has the meaning given by section 1 of the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 and includes an individual who is deemed to be an employee by virtue of subsection (2) (a);

“employer”, in relation to a worker, means, subject to subsection (2) (c)—

(a) in the case of an individual who is a worker by virtue of paragraph(a) of the definition of that term, the person with whom the worker entered into, or for whom the worker works or worked under, the contract of employment,

(b) in the case of an individual who is a worker by virtue of paragraph (b) of the definition of that term, the person with whom the worker entered into, or works or worked under, the contract,

(c) in the case of an individual who is a worker by virtue of paragraph (c) of the definition of that term—

(i) the person for whom the worker works or worked, or

(ii) the person by whom the individual is or was introduced or supplied to do the work,

or

(d) in the case of an individual who is a worker by virtue of paragraph (d) of the definition of that term, the person who provides or provided the work experience or training;

“Minister” means the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform;

“penalisation” means any act or omission that affects a worker to the worker’s detriment, and in particular includes—

(a) suspension, lay-off or dismissal,

(b) demotion or loss of opportunity for promotion,

(c) transfer of duties, change of location of place of work, reduction in wages or change in working hours,

(d) the imposition or administering of any discipline, reprimand or other penalty (including a financial penalty),

(e) unfair treatment,

(f) coercion, intimidation or harassment,

(g) discrimination, disadvantage or unfair treatment,

(h) injury, damage or loss, and

(i) threat of reprisal;

“protected disclosure” shall be construed in accordance with section 5 ;

“public body” means—

(a) a Department of State,

(b) a local authority within the meaning of the Local Government Act 2001 ,

(c) any other entity established by or under any enactment (other than the Companies Acts), statutory instrument or charter or any scheme administered by a Minister of the Government,

(d) a company (within the meaning of the Companies Acts) a majority of the shares in which are held by or on behalf of a Minister of the Government,

(e) a subsidiary (within the meaning of the Companies Acts) of such a company,

(f) an entity established or appointed by the Government or a Minister of the Government,

(g) any entity (other than one within paragraph (e)) that is directly or indirectly controlled by an entity within any of paragraphs (b) to (f),

(h) an entity on which any functions are conferred by or under any enactment (other than the Companies Acts), statutory instrument or charter, or

(i) an institution of higher education (within the meaning of the Higher Education Authority Act 1971 ) in receipt of public funding;

“relevant information” shall be construed in accordance with section 5 (2);

“relevant wrongdoing” shall be construed in accordance with subsections (3) to (5) of section 5 ;

“trade union official” means an official of a trade union licensed under the Trade Union Acts 1871 to 1990;

“worker” means an individual who—

(a) is an employee,

(b) entered into or works or worked under any other contract, whether express or implied and (if it is express) whether oral or in writing, whereby the individual undertook to do or perform (whether personally or otherwise) any work or services for another party to the contract for the purposes of that party’s business,

(c) works or worked for a person in circumstances in which—

(i) the individual is introduced or supplied to do the work by a third person, and

(ii) the terms on which the individual is engaged to do the work are or were in practice substantially determined not by the individual but by the person for whom the individual works or worked, by the third person or by both of them,

or

(d) is or was provided with work experience pursuant to a training course or programme or with training for employment (or with both) otherwise than—

(i) under a contract of employment, or

(ii) by an educational establishment on a course provided by the establishment, and includes an individual who is deemed to be a worker by virtue of subsection (2) (b) and any reference to a worker being employed or to employment shall be construed accordingly.

(2) For the purposes of this Act—

(a) an individual who is or was—

(i) a member of the Garda Síochána, or

(ii) a civil servant (within the meaning of the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956 ),

is deemed to be an employee,

(b) an individual who is or was a member of the Permanent Defence Force (within the meaning of the Defence Act 1954 ) or the Reserve Defence Force (within the meaning of that Act) is deemed to be a worker,

(c) “employer”—

(i) in relation to a member of the Garda Síochána (other than the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána), means the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána;

(ii) in relation to a civil servant (within the meaning aforesaid), has the meaning given by section 2A(2) of the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 ;

(iii) in relation to a member of the Permanent Defence Force or the Reserve Defence Force (both within the meaning aforesaid), means the Minister for Defence.