Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In September, the Women of Honour bravely came forward to tell their experiences of bullying, harassment, discrimination, misogyny, sexual assault and rape. They were forced to go public with their very difficult and distressing stories because they had been so badly let down by the State and the Defence Forces in getting accountability for what they had experienced and because they were determined to get to the truth.

In that week, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, in this Chamber gave assurances that he would treat this issue as a priority. He gave assurances that the women impacted would have an input into the terms of the review. He said he would bring about real change. This never happened. Instead, the Minster, backed up by the Taoiseach, decided, with no input from the Women of Honour, that this would be an internal review only and not a statutory inquiry, for which the women affected had asked. Bheartaigh sé nach mbeadh gá le gach duine dul isteach ann agus páirt a ghlacadh, iad siúd a bhí ag argóint i gcoinne na líomhaintí san áireamh. Tá na mná tar éis a cheistiú conas gurb é seo an fíorathrú a mhol an tAire ceithre mhí ó shin, agus tá an ceart acu. An internal review will not establish the extent of abuse by perpetrators. It will not get to the heart of the coercive influence and other negative career impacts that followed from what was a wholly inadequate complaints process.

Tá na moltaí seo ag ligean mná síos. Tá sé sin déanta níos measa de bharr cad atá ráite ag an Taoiseach nuair a dúirt sé go bhféadfaí iniúchadh breise a bheith ann ag uair éigin sa todhchaí, cé nach raibh sé soiléir faoi cathain a bheidh an t-am sin ann. Níl sé ródhéanach don Aire ná don Taoiseach an rud ceart a dhéanamh.

The Minister can and must establish a full commission of investigation. The Women of Honour have shown great bravery, determination and resilience in their pursuit of truth and justice. I believe "Women of Honour" is a good title for them. They have shown courage and they have a great deal of pride in their own service and their roles in the Defence Forces. They feel very badly let down. They still feel an obligation to their colleagues in the Defence Forces to make things better and to change things.

It is now the Minister's turn to take a stand against abuse and harassment, stand up for that honour and protect all current and future members of the Defence Forces and Naval Service. It is not too late for him to do the right thing.

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