Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The first supplementary question I will ask relates to the Chief of Staff's opening statement, where he referenced emergency accommodation in a number of military installations to support lead agencies around those seeking international protection. One barracks, Columb Barracks, Mullingar, will be used to house those coming to our shores seeking refuge. Was that decision made by the general staff or the Department? I ask because there was zero correspondence with the more than 30 community groups that operate out of that barracks.

I will go back to the commission report. It was published in February 2022. All in all, it had 130 recommendations, including sub-recommendations. We have had a commission report, a high-level action plan, an implementation management office, an implementation oversight group, a high-level steering board and, what the Tánaiste referred to a number of weeks ago and which is echoed in the statement made by the Chief of Staff, a work-in-progress implementation plan. As we are nine months past the publication of the high-level action plan, is that pace adequate to address the level of change needed within the Defence Forces?

I will touch on the issue of protected disclosures in light of the imminent independent review group, IRG, report. When the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022 was passed, did it have any impact on how the Defence Forces deal with protected disclosures being made? I note the Chief of Staff's opening statement, as well as Senator Clonan, referred to the Women of Honour programme. I note it was January 2017 when Yvonne O'Rourke highlighted the abuse, discrimination and bullying she had experienced in the cadet school. It is my understanding she was told that her protected disclosure was subjective. That is reflective of a word Senator Clonan used, "gaslighting". In fact, prior to the broadcast of Katie Hannon's documentary on RTÉ, Ms O'Rourke had repeatedly requested meetings, all of which were refused until after the airing of that documentary. Who is responsible for handling protected disclosures in the Defence Forces? Is it the Department or general staff?

On the same issue of Yvonne O'Rourke, is the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces, ODF, fit for purpose? When Ms O'Rourke took her case to the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, which ruled that systemic discrimination had been determined, the Defence Forces were instructed to undertake a number of points. Will the representatives give an update on whether any of those instructed pieces of work have been undertaken? Who is ultimately responsible for ensuring the information provided to the ODF from the Department of Defence is true and accurate? Is any work carried out to determine truthfulness or accuracy? Is that done by the general staff or the Department?

What are the witnesses' reactions to the finding earlier this month regarding the Air Corps chemical exposure issue, where it was found the Air Corps failed to comply with a Supreme Court ruling to provide safety documentation as part of discovery? That was quite a damning statement for the judge to make. The representatives' feedback would be very much appreciated.