Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 June 2022
68. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide a comprehensive update on the engagement and progress regarding the investigation associated with Women of Honour in the Defence Forces. [34169/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is the last opportunity we have before the recess, can the Minister provide a comprehensive update on the engagement and progress to date regarding the investigation associated with the Women of Honour in the Defence Forces?
I thank the Deputy for giving me an opportunity to update the House on this issue. I am fully committed to ensuring that every member of the Defence Forces has the right to undertake their duties in a safe environment underpinned by dignity and equality. As the Deputy is aware, there was extensive engagement with the Women of Honour group and other stakeholders on the establishment of an independent review to examine issues relating to unacceptable behaviour in the Defence Forces. Without question, the engagements raised very serious concerns and I wish to pay tribute to all parties, including Women of Honour, for the courage they displayed in sharing their experiences.
The experiences shared and the views received from all parties informed the terms of reference for the judge-led independent review, which was approved by the Government on 25 January last. I can confirm that the work of the independent review group is well under way. I had a very fruitful meeting with the members, namely, Ms Justice Bronagh O’Hanlon, Ms Jane Williams and Mr. Mark Connaughton, on 25 April last and plan to meet them again in the coming weeks.
In line with the terms of reference, a total of four monthly reports have been submitted to me on the group's progress and an interim report is to be submitted to me by the end of July. A final report will be presented by the end of the year, which will be brought to Government before being published. This review is a necessary and critical step to fulfilling my duty of care obligation to the men and women of the Defence Forces to provide a safe work environment. The serving members of the Defence Forces expect nothing less. This review will help us in that endeavour.
I would continue to strongly encourage all stakeholders, including the Women of Honour group and serving members who have not yet done so, to engage with the independent review group as their contribution will be critically important in taking this work forward. The independent review group is continuing to accept submissions from individuals and organisations on issues relevant to its terms of reference. The Government recognises the need to allow the independent review group to do its work as a critical and necessary step. These assurances have been relayed to the Women of Honour group.
Since the Sinn Féin motion calling for a statutory inquiry into what we can all agree were truly horrendous experiences, not only for the Women of Honour group but for others, the decision was made to push ahead with this judge-led process. Perhaps it is a question of wording but the Minister and I might have a different understanding of “comprehensive update”. I read “well under way”, “fruitful meeting”, “coming weeks”, “interim report” and “monthly reports”. Can the Minister give us specifics now, five months after that debate, with regard to the advice on the current legislative frameworks, policies and procedures and practices in addressing incidents of unacceptable behaviour, the independent assessment regarding the prevailing culture in the workplace that needs to be fully aligned with the principles of dignity, equality and mutual respect, and also what measures and strategies have been implemented to date?
I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate Katie Hannon and Tom Donnelly for their recent national radio broadcast journalism merit certificate for that outstanding documentary last September on the Women of Honour who took this issue to a national stage.
I, too, want to recognise the significance of that documentary and the bravery of those who contributed to it and, indeed, what that triggered, which was that many others were willing to come forward and speak either in confidence to me at meetings that we set up for that purpose, or speak out publicly.
In terms of the judge-led independent review, we will get the interim report that I asked for by midsummer, which is the end of July. I will hopefully be able to act on some of the recommendations that may come from that. I do not know what the independent review or the interim report will say. I have been very careful not to get involved in the work of this independent review group because, if I did, I would be accused of interfering. This is a genuinely independent process. It is being supported by the Government in terms of anything it asks for or needs around resources, secretarial assistance or otherwise, but it is genuinely independent of me and my Department. I want it that way so it is credible when it reports.
It is important to say again that the Irish military is not the only military that has had this experience, and Christine Whitecross, who led the Canadian investigation, spoke recently at an event in Dublin on the duration of the investigation and the challenges she experienced.
The concern I have is how effective this review has been in light of the other actions that have taken place without some form of real and meaningful co-ordination. The immediate action group was convened by the Chief of Staff and nobody is questioning the motivation behind that. However, that sought to undertake a piece of work regarding behavioural and cultural change which the review also seeks to do. How effective can the multidisciplinary response team, which has delivered briefings to personnel, be without that level of co-ordination? In December of last year, the organisational culture standing committee was put in place to deliver more enduring structural change. We have this perception of a lot of stuff going on at the same time. While I am not saying it is not warranted, it all seems to be happening at a pace that does not react with the other parts and they do not speak to each other.
There is a lot happening in this space. Last October, I introduced a number of interim support measures for both serving and former members of the Defence Forces impacted by unacceptable behaviour in the workplace. I appointed a confidential contact person, CCP, within an external independent company, Raiseaconcern, to assist both serving and former members of the Defence Forces. The CCP provides a safe place to support the reporting of wrongdoing in the workplace. The CCP is independent and is outside of the Defence Forces chain of command and their role is to listen to individuals and to assist them.
The Inspire confidential helpline was also set up and is available 24-7 for all serving members of the Defence Forces, and it is also being made available to anyone who has contacted the confidential contact person. There is a lot going on. I felt I needed to act in terms of interim measures and to work with the Chief of Staff and with the Secretary General in the Department.
Ultimately, we have recommendations from the commission which have to be implemented and we have a specific independent review, led by a judge, that will make an interim report in the next few weeks and will make a full and final report at the end of the year. Yes, there is a lot going on, but it is all funnelling work in the same direction, which is to change culture in the Defence Forces and to make them a safer and more attractive place to work.
