Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome to the Public Gallery members of Women of Honour, whom I have met several times, and members of the Defence Forces Justice Alliance whom I met yesterday in the audiovisual room. As the Tánaiste knows, we discussed aspects of the tribunal of inquiry last night in priority questions and other oral questions. By chance, just this morning when I was looking through social media, I came across something that goes to the very heart of what this is. It is that truth is always something that is told and not something that is always known. Without the telling there would be no knowing. This is why the amendments I have proposed with my party colleague Deputy Carthy are significant for those affected.

It is a fact that were it not for the work of the Women of Honour, the Canary Movement, the Defence Forces alliance movement and others, matters may never have been brought to light. The truth about what was done to people in the Defence Forces would never have had the chance to be investigated, uncovered or told. I use the phrase "what was done to people" deliberately. Rape and abuse do not just happen. Rape and abuse have no autonomy. They are not walking around barracks or overseas postings. They are violent, invasive, degrading acts committed by someone on someone else. Similarly, "exposure to dangerous chemicals" was not strolling around the Air Corps in Baldonnel in a uniform. Instead, as those affected tell us, and the detail was graphic and hair raising in their briefing yesterday, the Defence Forces must be investigated as to whether they exposed soldiers to these dangerous chemicals in what they did and did not do, for example, in the provision of PPE.

As my party leader has said, some of these were children. They were entrusted to the State. One of them was 16 when he was sweeping asbestos around Baldonnel. They are suffering. It is why our amendments are particularly focused on clarity. They are also designed to address the previous imbalance of power, for example, in making provision through the budgetary process for "funds in support of the cooperation of those individuals and representative organisations whose engagement the Tribunal necessitates". Money cannot be a barrier to full engagement, especially where people have been disadvantaged by their experience. We have to do the right thing. We are doing this because it is the right thing to do.

The amendments also address proper and timely access to information proposing, for example, that "the Taoiseach shall, in advance of publication of the Report or it being laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas, and in line with any direction of the High Court, make appropriate provision for a physical copy of the full Report to be provided to any individual who cooperated with the Tribunal at the earliest opportunity". Focus, funds, information, clarity and respect in the tribunal are key.

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