Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Tánaiste to the House to discuss this important report and the urgent actions needed to address the major and worrying concerns raised throughout the report. As colleagues have said, it is right that the report also acknowledges that the Defence Forces have a proud and rich legacy that is recognised and highly respected at home and abroad. It is a legacy on which many in the Defence Forces have worked hard to develop. Many are rightly proud of their service in building that reputation. It is always important to put that on the record.

However, this report highlights practices and procedures that are simply unacceptable, not fit for purpose and out of date in any modern Defence Forces. Such practices and procedures nobody can ever stand over and would never address, prevent or solve the bullying, harassment, including sexual harassment, this report outlines. It is important to use this opportunity to thank the Women of Honour who bravely came forward to tell RTÉ’s Katie Hannon of the depth of the issues at play in the Defence Forces. Their courage is at the heart of this report. Unfortunately however, this report reveals that more than a third of Defence Force personnel were harassed while serving and in the majority of cases, it was on more than one occasion. It is also, as the Tánaiste has himself done, important to thank the men of honour, and indeed to thank our colleague, Senator Clonan, tonight in this House. They have been brave enough to come forward with the worrying highlights over many years.

We welcome the announcement of the statutory inquiry. As the Tánaiste himself said, it is vital that the terms of reference for this inquiry are correct and appropriate for what needs to happen. However, in putting together the terms of reference for this inquiry, the Women of Honour must be included in drawing them up, as I have previously said in this House. It is also essential that the representative groups of those serving are involved and encouraged to be part of the drawing up of these terms of reference. We welcome the setting up of the external oversight body to increase transparency and accountability. As the report recommends, it is important that this body drive the necessary culture changes throughout the Defence Forces. This change is essential to the future of the Defence Forces in this country. We also support the finding in this report to amend the Defence Act 1954 to provide that all allegations of rape or aggravated sexual assault in the Defence Forces in the State will be referred to An Garda Síochána for investigation. The fear of reporting such incidents as outlined in the report demands such a measure. Respondents cited making a complaint as being career ending and reported experiencing intimidation and acts of retaliation when they did so. We also welcome the reports that the Minister of Defence has requested and has reiterated tonight that the Chief of Staff should communicate to commanding officers that this is to be implemented with immediate effect.

The Minister is reported as saying that this report is a watershed moment. It simply has to be. It states that women are viewed as occupying low status in the Defence Forces. They are barely tolerated. The problems that exist will not go away without immediate and significant steps being taken to address them. Notwithstanding the role of the Defence Forces, neither men or women are working in a safe environment. This is a damning part of any report. The Commission on the Defence Forces seeks to increase the number of women serving. This must be an ambition for everybody involved in supporting and strengthening our Defence Forces. The issues of recruitment and retention are well known. Is it any wonder that only 44 women joined the force in 2021, given the scale of the culture crisis outlined by this report? Yes, it is right that we must invest in our Defence Forces providing the radar, the planes and the equipment for those who serve. They deserve as much and we will support that. It is important that we address conditions and pay and the working time directive once and for all as is outlined in the commission's report.

It is also time we addressed the issue of dereliction on our military bases. I want to take this opportunity, as I have done on previous occasions, to address what is happening in the Curragh. I know it is something that Minister has come out on as well. We need to address the dereliction at the Curragh to provide homes for those who so proudly serve.. However, tonight is about the IRG report. We once again want to thank the Women of Honour and all of those who came forward for their bravery to help in preparing this report. It is indeed a watershed moment for our Defence Forces. The actions outlined must happen as quickly as possible. The Labour Party supports all of these actions. We must make our Defence Forces a safe working environment where bullying, discrimination and sexual abuse simply did not exist. The future of the Irish Defence Forces depends on it