Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I very much welcome the opportunity to speak. I also welcome the inquiry. It has been long sought after. It is a signal of hope to ensure that our armed forces are held to the highest standards of accountability, transparency and justice. We all believe that our Defence Forces represent the pinnacle of bravery, dedication and selflessness. We all look up to our soldiers and respect them. It is essential therefore that these exemplary individuals are treated with the utmost respect and integrity. It is our collective duty to ensure that any allegations of wrongdoing and misconduct are thoroughly investigated without compromise.

I thank the all of the Women of Honour and those who are here today. I cannot imagine the guts it took to come forward. I cannot imagine how it felt to have all that churning up inside and deciding that something that had to be done and to own it. They had a go because they were not heard. They had to put all their truth and their story in front of all of us on one Saturday afternoon. The nation stopped. We all heard what was said, but it was so wrong that we had to rely on broadcasters to give out and to give the Women of Honour an opportunity to be heard. It really is an indictment of our State and of how society still is.

We say we have moved on a lot. Women listening to the discussion that day and to all the discussions we have had since on how women are treated, how women in the Defence Forces were treated and the abuse that has happened in the Defence Forces were not surprised because we accept that we have all experienced some level of abuse in our lives. We all hear talk of laddish culture. We talk about the culture change we need in our society. That was amplified within our Defence Forces. It was petrifying, particularly as we hold our Defence Forces so highly and so dear.

The experiences I have heard about were absolutely horrendous. For what it is worth, I am incredibly sorry that the Women of Honour have had to do what they have done. I am sorry, first, that they had to go through those disgusting experiences and, second, that they were not listened to or believed. There was no way for them to get justice or for someone to say "Stop". As a result, the women had to hold what had happened with them. There was no place for healing or for them to take a breath and go and relieve some of the pain and torture they experienced. I hope that debates of this nature and the tribunal will bring the women to a point where there is some sort of healing.

Many Senators spoke about how time is precious. We need this time. We need the Women of Honour and the victims to be taken care of. We need the State to put an arm of support around them all. What we are doing with the inquiry and the tribunal is as much about the past as it is about our future, how we react and how we look after people in our country and within our Defence Forces.It is about lifting our Defence Forces away from that shame we experience collectively. They wear our flag and represent us abroad and at home, and we want that respect and dignity to be brought through every rank, with people looked after. The actions of the Department of Defence in completing the recommendations of the IRG and establishing this tribunal are critical to allowing all of us to move on from this pain and torture that was committed.

I wish Ms Justice Power the very best of luck, and I wish the victims who come forward strength and courage. I want them to know they are believed and heard.