Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 October 2020
88. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 171 of 1 October 2020, if a response will issue to the number of redress of wrongs for which a decision is outstanding; the date of submission of each; when a decision will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32144/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile it was not possible to provide the information requested by the Deputy at the time within the given timeframe, I am now in a position to do so.
I am advised by the Military Authorities that as of 20 October, there are currently 22 Redress of Wrongs (ROW) cases active within the Defence Forces as the table below illustrates:
| Location of Total Active ROWs within the Defence Forces |
|
| 2 Brigade (2 BDE) | 8 |
| Air Corps (AC) | 5 |
| Defence Forces Headquarters (DFHQ) | 1 |
| Naval Service (NS) | 2 |
| Defence Forces Training Centre (DFTC) | 6 |
| Total | 22 |
The following tables provide a breakdown of the status of the 22 active cases listed above within each of their current locations.
Of the 22 cases currently active, I understand that 4 reside with the Chief of Staff (COS).
The military authorities have additionally advised that the internal Redress of Wrongs (ROW) process continues to be a dynamic one, in that a complaint submitted, can be investigated and a decision is made at Brigade (BDE)/Formation (Fmn) level. However, the internal process also provides that the complainant can re-enter the process subsequent to this first decision and may request for the complaint to be forwarded to the next higher authority for consideration.
| 2 BDE |
|
|
| Date of Complaint | Current Location of ROW | Current Status |
| 06/11/2019 | BDE | ROW was submitted overseas in Nov 2019 and not communicated to 2 Bde until Jul 2020. Ruling currently being prepared. |
| 01/07/2020 | BDE | This complex case requires further investigation involving retired members of the DF and the Investigating Officer (IO) requested an extension |
| 14/08/2020 | BDE | Ruling currently being prepared. |
| 14/08/2020 | BDE | Ruling currently being prepared. |
| 20/08/2020 | BDE | Further clarification sought from Investigating Officer (IO) before ruling is prepared for General Officer Commanding (GOC). |
| 01/09/2020 | BDE | GOC actioning resolution prior to ruling. Ruling currently being prepared. |
| 08/09/2020 | BDE | Further clarification sought from IO before ruling is prepared for GOC. |
| 15/09/2020 | BDE | IO currently investigating |
| Air Corps |
|
|
| Date of Complaint | Current Location of ROW | Current Status |
| 23/09/2020 | Bde/Formation | Military Investigating Officer (MIO) investigation ongoing |
| 06/10/2020 | Bde/Formation | MIO investigation ongoing |
| 07/10/2020 | Bde/Formation | MIO investigation ongoing |
| 25/09/2020 | Bde/Formation | MIO investigation ongoing |
| 01/01/2020 | Bde/Formation | MIO investigation ongoing |
| Defence Forces Head Quarters |
|
|
| Date of Complaint | Current Location of ROW | Current Status |
| 12/03/2020 | Bde/Formation | MIO Investigation ongoing |
| Naval Service |
|
|
| Date of Complaint | Current Location of ROW | Current Status |
| 21/05/2020 | With Chief of Staff (COS) | File sent to COS 25/8/20 |
| 16/06/2020 | Bde/Formation | MIO investigation ongoing |
Defence Forces Training Centre
| Date of Complaint | Current Location of ROW | Current Status |
| 17-Jul-20 | BDE | Referred to COS 11 Aug 20 |
| 03-Sep-20 | BDE | MIO investigation Ongoing |
| 10-Aug-20 | BDE | MIO investigation Ongoing |
| 31-Jul-20 | BDE | MIO investigation Ongoing |
| 17-Jul-20 | COS | Currently under consideration by COS |
| 09-Jun-20 | COS | Final Submissions by Complainant due 26 Oct 2020 |
A complaint made under the ROW system that cannot be resolved internally may then be sent to the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (ODF) for independent investigation.
