Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister will be aware, the documentary programme, "Women of Honour", sent shock waves through the military and defence community right around the country, particularly in south Kildare where many members of that community reside. This documentary was a damning account by female operatives, both active duty and retired. These women detailed sexual assault and harassment from their male colleagues and supervisors in addition to a level of job discrimination against female members of the Defence Forces, especially those with children. These are not new allegations. Similar allegations have been made in the past. Recently on KFM Radio, Dr. Tom Clonan detailed his experience as a whistle-blower within the Defence Forces when he released his research into sexual misconduct in 2000. His allegations were not baseless or random but were contained within a full doctoral thesis that included in-depth interviews with more than 60 women who were soldiers, sailors and air crew. This research was presented to the Chief of Staff 21 years ago and nothing was done. Not only was nothing done, Dr. Clonan was treated like a pariah.

One of the most concerning aspects of this story is the alleged attempt by senior personnel to quash allegations of misconduct. It is clear the culture within the Defence Forces needs to be reformed and a more open and transparent mechanism is urgently needed to review allegations of any sexual misconduct. I acknowledge the announcement that an unbiased review will be conducted but it must be independent and transparent. That includes the personnel chosen to review the allegations. This review must have the confidence of every member of the Defence Forces and must be open to public scrutiny. The days of quiet back room dealings are over. The review must be transparent, must be public and must deal with the allegations effectively.