Maurice McCabe appeals for donations to legal aid service for whistleblowers
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched in order to provide free legal advice to whistleblowers.
Garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe and Transparency International Ireland are appealing to people to donate, as they aim to raise €50,000 over the next three months.
Since the pandemic began, TI Ireland has had an increase in calls from people raising workplace concerns, and says its largest number of clients reporting whistleblowing retaliation, work in health and community services.
Sergeant McCabe, who has been appointed Patron of TI Ireland, received free advice and support from the organisation from 2012 to 2015, as he exposed systemic abuse of the Garda traffic database.
In a statement, McCabe said: "The support that TI Ireland provided was absolutely essential in helping me get through my ordeal. TI Ireland helped me make informed decisions about how to report my concerns, and they helped me understand what to expect and how to safely blow the whistle on what I had seen.
‘I’m lucky that I got through my experience but there are many whistleblowers who will struggle without support. Many need legal advice as soon as possible – especially before they report - but often can’t afford it. That’s why I’m asking the public to support the appeal to provide free legal advice to whistleblowers."
