Louth Senator says IRG report a 'shocking indictment on Defence Forces'

Louth based Senator Erin McGreehan has said the report of the Independent Review Group (IRG), released this week on gender-based violence, harassment and bullying in the Defence Forces, is a shocking indictment on the Defence Forces as an organisation. 

In a statement released this morning, Senator McGreehan said: “The details within the report of the IRG are absolutely shocking and frankly disgusting. The environment within the defence forces is outlined to be one of abuse, bullying and intimidation. I want to thank the IRG for their work on this and the Women of Honour for bringing this matter to light and having the bravery to do so."

She continued: "I fully support the statutory inquiry that should now follow and the recommendation for an Oversight Body is very welcome. These are challenging times for the Defence Forces but we must implement serious reform and move forward with creating an environment within the Defence Forces where respect and equity are at the forefront. It’s deeply shocking and abhorrent to think women who were serving this country were treated with such depravity. " 

According to Sentor McGreehan, at this morning’s Cabinet meeting, Government agreed to progress, as a priority, the report’s recommendations, including:

• Establishment of a statutory inquiry to investigate whether there have been serious systemic failures in dealing with individual complaints, including sexual misconduct.
• Setting up an External Oversight Body to increase transparency and accountability, and to drive necessary culture change throughout the Defence Forces;
• Urgently reforming the existing mechanisms for making a complaint to restore faith and trust in the complaints process.
• Preparing legislation to:-
  
  • establish an independent complaints mechanism for serving members of the Defence Forces;
  • establish the External Oversight Body on a statutory basis; and
  • amend the Defence Act, 1954 to allow all allegations of rape, or aggravated sexual assault in the Defence Forces in the State be referred to An Garda Síochána for investigation.
• a significant programme of reform and culture change delivered by external experts, with measures to eradicate reprisals and retaliation, and develop new policies on gender, inclusion and diversity.