If you as a public employee, or as a member of the public, have concerns about the use of taxpayers/ratepayers money which you wish to pass on to the NIAO, you are encouraged to contact us – our contact number is given below. We welcome these approaches and they will, if you wish, be treated in confidence. For public employees, there are important safeguards, as set out below.
Public Interest Disclosure (NI) Order 1998
The Public Interest Disclosure (NI) Order 1998 introduced a policy to provide strong protection from dismissal or other sanction for workers who report wrongdoings that they believe, in good faith, to be true. The protection is most readily available when the whistle is blown internally. Your employer’s whistleblowing guidance will tell you how you can safely raise a concern. Additionally, the Public Interest Disclosure Order also protects a range of external whistleblowing.
In order to avail of this protection under the Order, an employee should report such wrongdoing to his/her employer, a legal adviser, a Government Minister or another prescribed person if the employee reasonably believes that one or more of the following has occurred, is occurring or is likely to occur:
- A criminal offence
- A failure to comply with a legal obligation
- A miscarriage of justice
- The endangering of an individual’s health and safety
- Damage to the environment
- Deliberate concealment of information tending to show any of the above.
In the employee’s circumstances, it must be “reasonable” for the worker to have made the disclosure (this will be decided by an Industrial Tribunal).
The Comptroller and Auditor General and local government auditors have been prescribed as persons to whom protected disclosures can be made under the Public Interest Disclosure (NI) Order 1998. A full list of the prescribed persons and their remits can be found in the Schedule to Statutory Rule 1999 No 401 (Northern Ireland). Prescribed persons are responsible for investigating allegations that fall under their jurisdiction, and for protecting the whistleblower and their interests while conducting an investigation. The NIAO can advise you on the detail of the Order.
The C&AG is prescribed as having a role in relation to the proper conduct of public business, value for money, fraud and corruption in relation to the provision of centrally funded public services.
Local Government Auditors (who are designated from the staff of the NIAO) have a role in relation to the proper conduct of public business, value for money, fraud and corruption in local government bodies.
Receipt of disclosures by the C&AG and local government auditors is consistent with their respective positions as the external auditor(s) for central government and local government.
Do Get Advice
If there’s no whistleblowing policy or you’re still not sure how to raise your concern internally or outside, do get advice. You can contact this Office at our contact number set out below or Public Concern at Work, a charity specialising in providing advice for whistleblowers, on 0207404 6609 or at helpline@pcaw.co.uk.
Contacts
To make a disclosure to the C&AG write to:
The Comptroller and Auditor General
Northern Ireland Audit Office
106 University Street
Belfast
BT7 1EU
To make a disclosure to a Local Government Auditor write to:
The Chief Local Government Auditor
Northern Ireland Audit Office
106 University Street
Belfast
BT7 1EU
Alternatively, in respect of disclosure relating to either central or local government email: whistleblowing@niauditoffice.gov.uk or telephone: 028 90251023.
