On 11 July 2023, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment signed Statutory Instrument No. 359 of 2023, amending the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 to include the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) within the scope of protected disclosures.
This update builds on the reforms introduced by the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022, which aligned Ireland’s whistleblowing law with the EU Directive 2019/1937. The new regulation adds the DMA to the list of relevant EU laws set out in the Act’s Schedule, meaning that whistleblowers are now protected when reporting breaches of the DMA.
This could apply to cases involving alleged abuse of market power or unfair practices by designated “gatekeeper” platforms under the DMA, such as large online platforms.
The regulation entered into force on 11 July 2023. This change strengthens Ireland’s whistleblowing framework and extends legal protections to disclosures relating to the digital economy.