Protected Disclosures Act
aka PDA, Whistleblower Act, Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022
Irish whistleblower protection regime. Employers with 50 or more workers must operate a formal internal reporting channel. Workers who report wrongdoing are protected from penalisation.
Last reviewed May 2026
Definition
The Protected Disclosures Act 2014, as substantially amended by the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022, transposes the EU Whistleblowing Directive 2019/1937 into Irish law. It protects workers (including employees, contractors, agency staff, trainees, board members, shareholders and volunteers) who report relevant wrongdoing in a work-related context. Relevant wrongdoings include criminal offences, breaches of any legal obligation, miscarriages of justice, dangers to health and safety or the environment, and the misuse of public funds. Since 17 December 2023, all employers with 50 or more workers must establish a formal internal reporting channel (and from 1 January 2026, certain public sector employers and financial services entities have always been in scope regardless of headcount). Channels must allow secure written or oral reports, acknowledge receipt within seven days, designate an impartial person to handle the report, give feedback within three months, and protect the reporter's identity. Penalising a reporter (dismissal, demotion, suspension, change of duties, withholding of training, written warnings) can lead to a WRC award of up to five years' gross remuneration. The Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner provides external escalation.
Why it matters for software choice
Most SMEs cross the 50-worker threshold without realising the channel obligation has triggered. Compliance and HR software with a dedicated whistleblowing intake form, identity-segregated case file, automatic 7-day acknowledgement and 3-month feedback timer, and audit-ready records, satisfies the Act in a way a generic shared inbox never can. Identity leaks and missed deadlines are the two most cited breaches.
Authority sources
- gov.ie: Protected Disclosures Act information for citizens and public bodies (www.gov.ie)
- Protected Disclosures Act 2014 (www.irishstatutebook.ie)
- Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022 (www.irishstatutebook.ie)
Software categories this affects
Vendors covered by this term
HRLocker
Irish-built HR software for the full employee lifecycle
BambooHR
Intuitive HR platform for Irish SMEs who need hiring, onboarding, and people management
HiBob
Modern HR platform designed for mid-size companies with strong culture and engagement tools
Personio
EU-first HR platform with GDPR-compliant data centres and payroll provider integrations
Workvivo
Employee experience platform - founded in Cork, acquired by Zoom
Employment Hero
All-in-one HR, payroll, and benefits platform expanding across Europe
Related terms
Workplace Relations Commission
Ireland's statutory body that resolves employment disputes, inspects workplaces and adjudicates complaints under most employment, equality and industrial relations legislation.
Data Protection Commission
Ireland's national data protection authority. Lead supervisory authority for many large US tech companies headquartered in Dublin under the GDPR's one-stop-shop mechanism.