Whistleblowing is a relatively new concept, with the term only being popularised in the 1970s. Until recently, protection for whistleblowers remained fragmented, precarious, and unequal across countries and economic sectors. In 2016, the French Parliament first defined a whistleblower in legislation. Later, in 2019, the Whistleblower Protection Directive was passed by the EU Institutions and has been largely hailed as a global standard setter in this field. In her address to the IIEA, Maureen Kearney discusses her experiences as a whistleblower, the current state of whistleblower protection in France and the EU, the role of trade unions in whistleblowing procedures, and areas where whistleblower protection can be improved.

About the Speaker:

A native of Castlebar, Maureen Kearney moved to Paris in the mid-1980s to work as a teacher in the nuclear industry for a subsidiary of what would later become Areva. She joined the trade union, Confédération française démocratique du travail (CFDT), in the 1990s after seeing her students threatened with redundancy and progressively became a leading trade union activist within the company. In 2004, she was unanimously elected General Secretary of the Areva European Works Council by trade unionists across 14 countries. In 2012, she gained notoriety for blowing the whistle on Areva's planned technology transfers to China. Her experiences as a whistleblower were subsequently documented in a book and film, both called La Syndicaliste (released in English as The Sitting Duck), released in 2019 and 2023, respectively.

Whistleblower Protection in France and the EU

Ireland finally beat New Zealand in 2016.
With brilliant commentary from New Zealand TV and previous heartbreak from RTE Radio one and idiotic predictions from Second Captains.

Music: 
Wisdom from Brian Jonestown Massacre https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/tepid-peppermint-wonderland/id1056856909

And Wasting My Young Years by London Grammar
https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/if-you-wait-deluxe-version/id675018027

"Drops it off to Henshaw!" - Ireland Beat The All-Blacks

Tackling climate change is one of the main challenges of the 21st century. Last November the latest UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report warned that we have just 12 years left for effective action to be taken against rising temperatures.

Over the past decade the European Union has led action for climate targets among Member States. In 2015, under the landmark Paris Climate Agreement, the EU committed to reducing emissions by 40% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

While some EU member states have made significant progress in meeting their targets, others including Ireland, are lagging behind in meeting these commitments. Meeting these targets will require ambitious action by Member States to reduce emissions in key economic sectors. The agricultural sector is one of Ireland’s most important industries, yet it accounts for over 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, making it the single largest contributor to Ireland’s total emissions. There is an urgent need to reconcile the need for urgent climate action and the need to protect the agricultural sector’s competitiveness and the livelihoods that depend on it.

Political leaders and policymakers have to find solutions to this challenge now. This is not a challenge faced by Ireland alone. Across Europe, policymakers and politicians are looking for solutions. In France, the Yellow Vest protests were initially sparked by increased carbon taxes. Clearly, a considered but effective approach to climate action is required to ensure a just transition and minimal economic and social disruption.

This event is part of the IIEA’s Future of the EU27 Project, supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Event Chair: Niall Delaney, Presenter, Ocean FM
Audience Q&A Begins at: 36:36

Speakers:

· Marian Harkin, outgoing MEP for the Midlands/North West Constituency;

· Martin Kenny TD, Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Agriculture, Food & the Marine;

· Thomas Cooney, Chairman of the IFA National Environment Committee

· Dr Pippa Hackett, Green Party Spokesperson on Agriculture, Food, Forestry, Heritage & Animal Welfare.

Climate Change and the Future of Agriculture: A Debate on the Future of Europe

Sharing Ideas Shaping Policy. The Institute of International and European Affairs is an independent policy research think-tank based in Dublin.

Whistleblower Protection in France and the EU

IIEA

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