Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Defence who, unfortunately, cannot be present. The Minister, who is currently out of the country, has asked me to pass on his apologies to the House. On his behalf, I welcome the opportunity to respond to Senators Chambers and O'Loughlin on what is an important matter. The Minister and I have listened with concern to the women who recounted their experiences on the "Women of Honour" programme broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 on 11 September 2021. Like many others, I was deeply struck by the personal accounts given in that programme. The Minister has reiterated in the strongest terms that all members of the Defence Forces have the right to be treated with respect, equality and dignity, and to carry out their duties free from any form of sexual harassment, harassment or bullying.

As the Senators will be aware, progress has been made since the 2002 report of the external advisory committee on the Defence Forces, The Challenge of a Workplace. There have been three reports from the independent monitoring group, IMG, since the publication of the report in 2002, the latest in 2014. Practices and procedures have been put in place within the Defence Forces to address allegations of inappropriate behaviour, including sexual harassment, harassment and bullying. These practices and procedures are set out in regulation and policy documents. Support services have been put in place for members of the Defence Forces. Trained designated contact persons are available to provide confidential support services to personnel.In addition, a range of other support services are available to personnel and their families, including the personnel support service and the Inspire 24-7 helpline.

It is accepted, however, that further work needs to be done in this area. Extensive discussions have taken place in recent months on the terms of an independent review. This will examine the effectiveness of current policies and procedures for dealing with workplace issues such as dignity, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and discrimination. As recently indicated by the Minister, the independent review will be conducted by independent and unbiased personnel. The draft terms of reference are being examined in light of the recent RTÉ programme, "Women of Honour". As the Senators may be aware, the Minister sought to meet the participants of the show, and he is very pleased they have accepted his invitation to meet them. A meeting will also take place this week between some of those participants and the Secretary General and senior officials in the Department of Defence. These meetings will provide an opportunity to hear the views of the women involved.

The Minister again urges those who may have suffered a serious wrong of a criminal nature, whether recent or historical, to report their concerns to An Garda Síochána, which has the lawful authority, skills and resources to investigate such matters. The Minister, the Government and the defence organisation are committed to providing a safe place of work for all employees. The proposed independent review and the outcome of the Commission on the Defence Forces, whose work is under way, will be important tools in fulfilling this commitment.