25/05/2026
A very important WRC ruling that every organisation, committee, voluntary body and employer in Ireland should pay attention to.
A worker has been awarded over €44,000 following a protected disclosure connected to concerns raised about workplace CCTV and consultation procedures.
The WRC found:
“The complainant was penalised for making a protected disclosure and the complaint is well-founded.”
The published case highlights issues around:
• CCTV and GDPR compliance
• Consultation and transparency
• Fair procedures
• How concerns raised by individuals are handled within organisations
Internal messages shown during the case included references to the employee as:
“a negative virus that stirs sh*t always.”
The WRC decision later found the worker had been penalised after raising concerns.
This ruling should act as a reminder to all organisations, boards, committees and voluntary associations that CCTV, digital imagery and surveillance-related matters require careful handling and proper governance.
Organisations should ensure there is:
• a clear lawful basis,
• proper transparency,
• fair procedures,
• appropriate consultation,
• and compliance with GDPR and Data Protection obligations.
It also highlights the importance of good governance practices, including:
• keeping directors and committee members properly informed,
• handling concerns appropriately,
• and ensuring procedures are followed fairly and consistently.
Protected Disclosures legislation exists to protect people who raise genuine concerns in good faith.
This post relates to the published WRC decision below reported by RTÉ and other media outlets.
Ignoring governance, data protection and fair procedure obligations can create very serious difficulties for organisations.
A worker who was called a "negative virus" by his manager and had his hours cut when he objected to CCTV being installed at his workplace without consultation has won €40,000 for whistleblower penalisation.
