Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We have allegations of sexual harassment and abuse in the National Ambulance Service. In such circumstances, where do we strike a balance when it comes to zero tolerance? My belief is that zero tolerance should be the approach in every organisation in the country and that we should not tolerate any of that sort of behaviour. However, we cannot now single out the Defence Forces because they happen to be the whipping boys this week. Let us go through the entire public service. The Defence Forces have been put under more scrutiny that any other organisation in this country. I wonder how the Irish Prison Service would fair in this regard. I have sufficient stuff on my desk about the Irish Prison Service, including complaints of bullying and harassment. I have contacted the Minister in respect of the matter. I have written to a prison governor about the horrendous treatment rained down on one of his staff. It is simply not good enough to start trying to set two sets of standards, namely one for the Defence Forces and one for everybody else. If people are working in this country - I do not care if it is the public service or private sector or if they are in uniform or not in uniform - there should be a standard of decent behaviour that we should all aspire to reach and whereby those who see something going wrong should speak out at the time and put a stop to it.