Disciplinary procedures in Irish Defence Force faces overhaul

Disciplinary procedures in the Irish Defence Forces are to be radically overhauled.

The new system will mirror the civil legal process in a military environment.

Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea has published the new Defence Bill and will present it to the Dáil early in the New Year.

It amounts to the biggest change in the system of military law for more than 50 years, and takes account of developments both in Ireland and internationally.

The Bill gives the right in every case for a person charge with an offence to elect for trial by court martial at the outset, and also sets out the kind of disciplinary offences that can be dealt with without trial.

There's a new right to appeal any determination or punishment handed out directly.

There are changes to the scale of punishments a commanding officer can hand out including the abolition of their right to award detention.

An independent Director of Military Prosecutions is being established, to perform a similar job in the court martial system as the DPP does in the civil system

An independent military judicial office is also being set up, with a similar role to judges.