Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The review on dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forces has found instances of bullying, harassment, discrimination and sexual harassment persist. They are not features of the past. The authors emphasise the prevailing culture will not stop without immediate and significant steps being taken and that neither men nor women in the Defence Forces are working in a safe workplace environment. It is clear from the language throughout the review that implementation of its recommendations requires urgency.

There is also an expectation that those who were and are victims of the broken organisational culture are given a place in devising the solutions to fix it. It is fair to say we have seen sustained failure of leadership within the Defence Forces and by successive Ministers and the Department. It was Women of Honour and others within the Defence Forces who pushed back over the years and forced acknowledgement, acceptance and action on things that could no longer be denied or pushed under the carpet.

What further engagement is taking place between Government and the women in agreeing a process in the development of the inquiry’s terms of reference? Has the women’s feeling that Government sought to railroad them and others without courtesy or respect been heard and, more importantly, addressed?

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