Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 98, 102, 113, 122, 124 and 146 together.

As I outlined earlier to the House, on Tuesday last, following Cabinet approval, I announced the establishment of a judge-led independent review group to examine issues relating to sexual misconduct, bullying, harassment and discrimination in the Defence Forces.

The overall aims of the review are to advise on whether the current legislative frameworks, policies, procedures and practices for addressing incidents of unacceptable behaviour in the workplace are effective; independently assess whether the pervading culture in the workplace is fully aligned with the principles of dignity, equality, mutual respect and duty of care for every member of the Defence Forces; and provide recommendations and guidance on measures and strategies required to underpin a workplace based on dignity, equality, mutual respect and duty of care for every member of the Defence Forces. This independent review is seen as a critical and vital next step to ensure the workplace for serving members of the Defence Forces is safe, where there is zero tolerance of unacceptable behaviour and where we learn from historical experience.

My Department and I have engaged extensively in recent months with the Women of Honour group and with other stakeholders, including both serving and former members of the Defence Forces, the representative associations, PDFORRA, RACO, and the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association, RDFRA, and with a second group representing former members.

These engagements have brought serious issues to my attention, which indicate it is not just an historic issue we are dealing with. Incidents of alleged unacceptable behaviour are continuing to occur. Current and former members of the Defence Forces have been clear that the culture that is pervading and the application of those policies, systems and procedures for dealing with unacceptable behaviour have not and are not serving all Defence Forces personnel well.

The most recent engagement with stakeholders took place on Tuesday afternoon last where I provided an update to stakeholders on the Government decision to proceed with the independent review. This was the seventh meeting, as I said earlier, at senior level that has been held with the Women of Honour group since last September, three of which I personally attended.

Current and former members of the Defence Forces have welcomed the review, and while I acknowledge the disappointment expressed by the Women of Honour group, which has been seeking a commission of inquiry, I am strongly aware of the need for immediacy of action to ensure the safety of serving Defence Forces personnel.

I want to be clear this does not preclude Government from considering further bodies of work that may be necessary. The review group has been specifically asked to advise on whether further work is required to examine issues of an historical nature and to make any recommendations regarding how this might be pursued.

The review group will provide me with an interim report in six months. A final report is expected within nine months. I will bring the final review report to Government, which may consider any further bodies of work that might be necessary, taking into account the findings of the independent review group. Thereafter, I intend to make the final review report public.

I wish to reiterate my commitment and that of the Secretary General and Chief of Staff to ensure every member of the Defence Forces can carry out his or her duties in a safe and respectful workplace based on dignity, equality and zero tolerance for any kind of unacceptable behaviour.

Having spoken to the chair of this review group who is a former High Court judge, I can assure Deputy Carroll MacNeill she will be insisting on full co-operation and I expect that will very much be in the report if she is not getting that co-operation. If there needs to be new structures that have compellability powers etc., I assure the Deputy she will have no hesitation in making those recommendations if so needed.

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