Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 November 2023
47. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence whether he has received any recent information on complaints of bullying and harassment in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50690/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, as Minister for Defence, I have no statutory role in the military discipline system as enshrined in Part V of the Defence Act.
Any complaint or allegation of unacceptable behaviour in the Defence Forces is currently subject to administrative investigative procedures as outlined in Defence Forces Administrative Instruction A7 and includes, but is not limited to, allegations of sexual harassment, harassment, discrimination and/or bullying.
The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, who is responsible for matters of discipline in the Defence Forces, provides quarterly reports on the number of complaints of unacceptable behaviour, made under Defence Forces Administrative Instruction A7, to my office for my information.
These reports detail ongoing investigations by the military authorities into reported cases of alleged unacceptable behaviour in the Defence Forces. The latest report received covers the period Q3 2023 and outlines progress on 22 live cases. Given that investigations are continuing in relation to these cases, I will not be commenting further.
While there are policies, systems and procedures in place for dealing with allegations and complaints of inappropriate behaviour in the workplace, it is clear from the conclusions of the Report from the Judge-led Independent Review Group, brought to Government and published earlier this year, that significant change is required to ensure that every member of the Defence Forces has the right to undertake their duties in a safe environment with a culture of zero-tolerance for any kind of bullying, discrimination, harassment or sexual abuse.As I have already detailed in earlier questions, I am currently progressing a comprehensive programme of actions to address the extremely serious issues identified in the IRG report. The Strategic Framework recently approved by me on 26 September last, sets a very ambitious pathway for my Department and the Defence Forces over the next 16 months, towards the transformation of the Defence Forces.
