Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday morning, the Women of Honour were interviewed on RTÉ's "Morning Ireland" and very clear set out their opposition to what is going on with respect to the drafting of terms of reference for an investigation into the allegations - I stress the word "allegations" - that were brought forward by the independent review group.It appears we have a woke culture of civil servants and politicians coming together to ensure they get an inquiry that delivers the outcome they want, rather than the outcome that is required. The cowardly act yesterday by the former two-time Minister for Defence, Deputy Coveney, was unforgivable. He was coming out talking about the culture of the Defence Forces and the need for radical change, when he was Minister twice and responsible for the appointment of an assistant secretary in the Department of Defence for human resources. What policy was brought forward by the person being paid €146,000 per annum during his term in that role? He is now gone. What policy did he bring forward? What policy have the Defence Forces ever refused to implement?

We are in the middle of a lynching party. I come from County Galway; I know what lynching is about. To hell with the evidence. We had a Senator, a criminal lawyer, say here last week that he accepted, without question, the report of the independent review group. Nobody should accept without question something that has not been tested in a sworn inquiry. That is what the Women of Honour and I want and every decent citizen in this country wants. However, it is much easier to stand up and throw rocks at people who cannot defend themselves. It is widely known the Defence Forces cannot speak publicly on anything that is said about them. We have people who are very angry and have no right of reply and politicians coming together with civil servants to deny the appropriate type of investigation. The Department of Defence sat on protected disclosures and the cultural issues that were highlighted by Senator Clonan's report and it stood down the independent monitoring group. Did the Minister, Deputy Coveney, when he was Minister for Defence, ask why the independent monitoring group, which was doing good work, had been stood down?

I find it very difficult that nobody in this House is willing to stand up to say we should have the statutory inquiry and then put those who are to blame front and centre and make them pay for what they did. Standing up and having a go at the entire organisation is brutally unfair. I reject it. Yesterday, at Arbour Hill, a number of people thanked me saying at least one person had spoken out in their favour. I served with decent, honest and hardworking people in the Defence Forces. I did not serve with women. I have no idea what happened when women came in, but I will not sit quietly and allow Ministers to come out and make statements, without any proof to back them up.