Army bullying ‘rehash’

SENIOR Defence Forces personnel are reported to be deeply angry at what is described as the “rehashing” of old claims of serious bullying and sexual harassment.

The claims that a quarter of all personnel were bullied and harassed, escalating to 70% among females, were raised in the Dáil as the Minister of Defence Willie O’Dea fielded questions for the first time.

But a Defence Forces spokesman said yesterday: “We have taken these things on. We have been very robust in the way that we have addressed them.”