The revelation that police are investigating the widespread sexual exploitation of children in care is a matter of the utmost gravity which has raised questions about the Department of health's handling of this matter.
In particular, the chair of Stormont's health committee, Maeve McLaughlin, has suggested the authorities should have acted at a much earlier stage in relation to safeguarding issues. Health Minister Edwin Poots has defended his department and urged social workers to speak out.
It is clearly vital that anyone with concerns about vulnerable young people comes forward but the reality is that Mr Poots heads a healthcare system which has been at times fiercely hostile to whistleblowers.
When information on the alleged sexual abuse of young people in Lissue and Forster Green hospitals was disclosed to The Irish News, the health and Social Care Board called in the Cabinet Office to investigate the leak.
Staff were questioned about their access to documents, a move which then Health Committee Chair Michelle Gildernew described as a "witch hunt''.
If it wasn't for whistleblowers alerting the press, the public would not have known about the death of a man waiting on a trolley at the Royal Victoria hospital or the failure to secure patient files at the former Belvoir Park hospital.
Mr Poots has made plain his distaste for those who go to the media but it is difficult for staff to have confidence in his department when we consider the case of Linda Ford who did not go to the press.
When this courageous and highly professional Fire Service accountant decided to blow the whistle on financial concerns, she found herself suspended from her job. While she was eventually vindicated, she was treated appallingly.
Whistleblowers should be encouraged but given this track record, Mr Poots needs to do much more to reassure those who decide to disclose information in the public interest.