THE INDEPENDENT REPORT into allegations of bullying and sexual harassment within the Defence Forces is due to be published today, with Tánaiste and Defence Minister Micheál Martin describing it as a “watershed moment”.
Martin met with the Women of Honour (WoH) group yesterday to discuss the report, with the women involved in the meeting describing it as constructive.
The WoH are a number of female Defence Forces members who acted as whistleblowers in regard to their own treatment over bullying and sexual harassment in their military lives.
Their claims were detailed in a high-profile RTÉ radio documentary in late 2021.
It detailed the alleged shortcomings of reporting processes in the forces, as well as the devastating personal and professional implications of abuse and attempts to report it.
Some victims claimed they suffered depression, eating disorders and suicidal ideation as a result of their experiences, while some left their jobs in the forces.
Martin received the report at the beginning of February. The Attorney General then reviewed it before publication today.
When speaking to The Journal while on a trip to Lebanon to visit Irish troops, the Tánaiste said it is his intention to make sure that the recommendations contained in the independent review group report “are fulfilled”.
In a interview with this publication, the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces Sean Clancy, who arrived at his post just as the Women of Honour scandal was breaking – said as he was at the beginning of his tenure, he had an opportunity “to do something about this and to tackle it’.”
Clancy said that the Defence Forces will “fully embrace” the findings of the report.
Speaking yesterday after the meeting, retired captain Yvonne O’Rourke said that the Tánaiste reiterated to the group that it would be a “watershed moment”.
“I think that word itself is powerful, so we are expecting history to be changed,” O’Rourke said.
With reporting by Niall O’Connor and Tadgh McNally.