Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)

I congratulate the Minister on his first official visit to the Dáil in his role as Minister for Defence in answering questions. I hope he has a happy and successful sojourn in that position. I am sure he will understand if I express the hope that it will not be too long and that he may soon be looking at it from this side of the House.

I was delighted the Minister's first official function was last week's PDFORRA conference in Letterkenny, at which I met him briefly. I am sure the Minister is aware of the concerns within PDFORRA at the continuing incidence of bullying and harassment within the Defence Forces. In the context of the response a fortnight ago to the original report which was published two years ago, does the Minister agree there is an ongoing problem when a quarter of all military personnel have experienced bullying and harassment, including almost 70% of the female members of the Defence Forces?

I do not know whether the Minister has yet familiarised himself with the original report, The Challenge of a Workplace, which itemises a litany of serious infringements of individual rights, including some very serious incidents of rape and attempted rape which went unreported; as well as demands for sexual favours, offensive telephone calls, e-mails and text messages; breaking into women's bedrooms, walking into women's shower areas and the display of pornographic material. I do not suggest this has not happened in other areas——

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