Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I mentioned to the Tánaiste in the past that I am the proud son of a Defence Forces veteran. My dad served in the Defence Forces for 27 years, both in this country and overseas. He is still very active with the United Nations veterans group. I spent my formative years living in Army quarters. Having grown up as the son of a member of the Defence Forces, I am well aware of the impact that poor pay and conditions have on the families and children of Defence Forces personnel.

Historically, successive governments have not valued our Defence Forces and things have not got any better under this Government. The Defence Forces are at a critical juncture. The number of personnel stands at historically low levels with more members having left than joined each year since the formation of this Government. Part of the solution to this crisis is ensuring that the experience of those who join is a positive one.

I was at an excellent presentation by the Women of Honour yesterday, which was hosted by my colleague, Deputy Matt Carthy. I welcome the Women of Honour and other survivors to the Public Gallery. The Women of Honour have had to wade and fight their way through bureaucratic and cultural systems designed to keep them quiet and to prevent them from challenging the status quo. On that note, I extend my admiration and support to the Women of Honour group and tell all those survivors who have bravely come forward to tell their stories that they are being listened to here.

Sinn Féin welcomes that the Government is moving forward with the tribunal into incidents of abuse and exposure to hazardous chemicals endured by members of the Defence Forces but it is inconceivable that the Government would press forward without the full support and endorsement of stakeholders. Sinn Féin wishes to see a tribunal established that places survivors and their voices at its very centre. The tribunal must acknowledge the value of survivors' groups and their role in bringing these matters to light. The Government must ensure that the widest possible cohort of those with legitimate grievances have an opportunity to have their voices heard at this tribunal and that survivors are the first to hear of any findings it makes.

At the presentation yesterday, we heard it was important for the tribunal to focus on the actual complaints rather than the complaints process. Many Defence Forces personnel did not make complaints for fear of reprisal. The first Defence Forces members prescribed the anti-malaria drug, Lariam, while they were serving overseas, many of whom have got in touch with me, are an example of this. Side-effects of this drug include depression, neurological disorders, anxiety and hallucinations. Sadly, more than 7,000 Irish soldiers deployed overseas were prescribed this drug. Some of the soldiers affected were forced to retire on health grounds. These soldiers are still fighting the Government in their search for compensation for their illnesses. Many soldiers did not make formal complaints or disclose their symptoms while they were serving members for fear of reprisal. One of the reasons for this is that the doctors one reports to in the Army are officers who report directly to their superiors. If you go to the doctor, who is an officer, because you are under the weather and have a mental health issue or perhaps because you are experiencing side-effects from Lariam, that might be a black mark against you that may lead to you not serving overseas.

We also heard from the Defence Forces Justice Alliance and Air Corps Chemical Abuse Survivors. These groups outlined horrific exposure to toxic chemicals. I had never before heard the likes of some of the stories I heard yesterday. People were put into tubs of chemicals as young soldiers, or child soldiers, as they called themselves, and were then punished for reporting it to their superiors. This happened in Baldonnel in my own area. The Government must provide for the tribunal to investigate the health consequences faced by those who were exposed to these hazardous chemicals. The voices of all survivors must be at the centre of this tribunal.

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