Written Answers. - Military Steering Group Report.
Jack Wall
Ceist:
29
Mr. Wall
asked the
Minister for Defence
his views on the findings of the report of the external advisory committee on the Defence Forces dealing with allegations of bullying and sexual harassment within the Defence Forces; if he accepts the recommendations of the report; if it is intended to implement the recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11768/02]
Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith): In August 2001 the Chief of Staff established a special military steering group to examine these issues. I invited Dr. Eileen Doyle, who chaired the Government's task force on the prevention of workplace bullying, to join the group as an expert civilian chairperson. Dr. Doyle was asked to determine the nature and extent of sexual harassment, harassment and bullying in the Defence Forces, to review existing policies and procedures and to make recommendations on strategies and programmes relating to awareness and education in this whole area. She was joined by two other civilian experts and by senior military personnel.
All serving female members of the PDF – some 453 women – were issued with a questionnaire, along with a large representative 10% sample of males. There was a high response rate of 54.5% overall. The results of the survey indicate that a significant number of respondents perceive themselves as experiencing quite unacceptable levels of harassment, bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment. Dr. Doyle and the joint civilian-military group have recently presented their completed report to me.
I have fully accepted the report and its recommendations. The report notes that it will be essential that external civilian expertise be involved throughout the implementation process for the various recommendations. On the evidence of the research findings, there is a need for immediate action on a number of fronts. As an immediate initial step in implementing these recommendations, I have therefore established the independent monitoring group recommended in the report. The monitoring group will be chaired by Dr. Eileen Doyle and will comprise the Deputy Chief of Staff – support – and an Assistant Secretary of my Department. The monitoring group will oversee, on my behalf, the drawing up and implementation of a plan to give effect to the fundamental reforms which the report has recommended. A separate military implementation group will be established by the Chief of Staff. In addition, an equality steering group, as recommended by the report will be established, and chaired by a member of the Labour Court. A consultative group will also be put in place. I know that we will have the active support and participation of the representative associations in this exercise. As an immediate measure, a confidential help line was made available to members of the Defence Forces from 5 April 2002.
The recommendations of the report must now be comprehensively built into the general employee relations and human resources management system across and through all ranks and all services and corps of the Defence Forces. The report emphasises the need for continuous external review, including a further external survey in Spring 2004, which will involve a thorough revisiting of all the aspects covered in the present report. That second review process in 2004 will also be undertaken for official publication. Dr. Doyle is being asked to convene an early meeting of the monitoring group to come forward with proposals on how best to proceed with implementation of the recommendations.
