Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The members of the Women of Honour group must be respected after years of abuse in the Defence Forces and a full commission of investigation must be set up. These women were treated shockingly. A proper investigation is required. It should be one where no areas are hidden. A situation where people cannot get the truth out should not be allowed. To be quite honest, this matter sounds as bad as it gets. We are talking about people who work hard in their jobs and then to think that this type of abuse is going on. While this case is slightly different, it is unfortunate that it is not the first time that treatment of the Defence Forces has reached rock bottom. In July 2019, the Minister of State was recorded as saying that "morale [was] at an all-time low" under the then Minister of State with responsibility for defence, Deputy Paul Kehoe. I refer to it being suggested that issues concerning pay, recruitment and retention were being shockingly handled by the then Minister of State.

That was scandalous, but these current public allegations must be dealt with immediately. I call on the Minister of State to do everything in his power to ensure that a full commission of investigation is set up. There should be no kicking of the can down the road as before in respect of this and other issues in the Defence Forces. This issue must be dealt with and dealt with quickly out of respect for the Women of Honour and the way they were treated. These are women who, like everybody else, go to work in the morning and expect some little bit of respect. Unfortunately, that was not afforded to them. They are now having to fight again, this time against the Government, which, in their view, is trying to set up something which is not going to bring about a full and clear investigation. I fully support the Women of Honour group, as does the Rural Independent Group. I ask the Minister of State to step back from the direction he is going and to perhaps sit down with the members of the Women of Honour group and come to a full agreement.

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