Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Listening to the debate today has brought me back to that Saturday when I was in my kitchen in Newbridge, County Kildare listening to Katie Hannon's documentary. I heard the revelations with shock and horror. I listened to the testimonials of the women involved, the Women of Honour, speaking about the sexual assaults, discrimination and many other injustices they suffered. Equally as harrowing as the outlining of the injustices the women suffered is the way they were treated when they went to raise these issues. It sent shockwaves throughout the military and defence community throughout the country, particularly in County Kildare where so many of the defence community resides. Not long after this I listened to Dr. Tom Clonan, now our colleague in the Seanad, speaking on Kfm about his research and the way he was treated when he became a whistleblower with regard to the horrific cultural practices of the time. I commend Senator Clonan on his work on this.

I particularly commend the Women of Honour on their tenacity, courage and bravery and on the honour they have shown. A career in the Defence Forces should be a very noble one. It is an important one and it should be a very worthy one. By virtue of what the Women of Honour are doing, they are trying to restore this worthiness and honour.

One of the most concerning aspects in my view is the alleged attempt by senior personnel to quash allegations of misconduct. It was clear then and it is clear now that the culture in the Defence Forces needs to be reformed. I thank the Minister of State for being here and I thank the Tánaiste for the work he has done and the changes he has implemented. I thank him for changing the terms of references to reflect what the Women of Honour in particular wanted to have. I also thank him for his many meetings with various stakeholders.

Our duty today is to welcome and support the motion on the terms of reference for the judge-led tribunal of inquiry. As we know, it was recommended by the independent review group on dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forces. This is another milestone on the journey we have taken. It is important that the tribunal will examine the effectiveness of the complaints processes in the Defence Forces concerning workplace issues relating to discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. It should also have the power to investigate the response to complaints made regarding the use of hazardous chemicals at the Air Corps headquarters at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel. I met this group of people on two occasions.

It is important to stress that the terms of reference are very comprehensive and that they are being brought forward following very exhaustive consultation. The Tánaiste is absolutely committed to reforming the culture of our Defence Forces. This will be a very important public inquiry. It will be a watershed moment for the Defence Forces and a catalyst for change and transformation. There will also be a complaints process for civilian employees and civil servants to ensure that they can access redress. That is going to be chaired by Mr. Kevin Duffy. I wish him well, as I do the chair of the tribunal, Ms Justice Power, who is a very esteemed individual and who comes to this with a lot of relevant experience. This can only be for the better. We are going to be in for tougher times when it comes to the tribunal and its findings, but that can only lead us to a better place and to better supports being put in place for the esteemed members of our Defence Forces.