Women of Honour 'disappointed' with Government after meeting to discuss inquiry terms

Pictured outside Government Buildings today are Honor Murphy, Diane Byrne, Yvonne O'Rourke and Roslyn Callaghan, after their meeting with Tanaiste Micheal Martin. Picture: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie

The Women of Honour group have said that they are "disappointed" with their latest meeting with the Government — believing that they are trying to "railroad through us".

A statutory inquiry has been recommended after the publication of a damning report in March into the Defence Forces.

It found that 88% of female respondents in a survey reported they had experienced one or more forms of sexual harassment, compared with 17% of male respondents.

The report found the main perpetrators of misogynistic behaviour were male officers or senior NCOs. However, it also found such behaviour also came from male peers and sometimes female officers/senior NCOs.

A group of current and former female members came forward as the Women of Honour last year to highlight gender-based violence, harassment and abuse in the Defence Forces.

They met with Tánaiste Micheál Martin at Government buildings on Tuesday but a statement from the group noted their disappointment at the meeting.

A spokesperson said: "The Tánaiste presented draft terms of reference for a statutory inquiry when we met him today. We will review this draft. 

"However it is disappointing that the Tánaiste and the Department of Defence seek to design draft terms of reference without any consultations with us or any other victims. 

We remain with a feeling that the Government seeks to railroad through us and others without any courtesy or respect. It smells of the same institutional abuse as victims endured in the Defence Forces. 

"Meetings should have been held to agree a process on terms of reference."

The group said that nothing less than a "full public tribunal to ascertain the truth" would work, noting that "the people of Ireland deserve the truth".

In a statement, the Department of Defence said: "The Tánaiste and Minister for Defence met with a number of stakeholders today, including the Defence Women’s Network, the Representative Associations (RACO, PDFORRA, RDFRA), the Women of Honour group and the Men and Women of Honour group. In addition, meetings took place with the Veteran Associations and with Civil and Civilian Employee Unions.

The Tánaiste reiterated the government’s commitment to set up the Statutory Inquiry that was recommended by the IRG.

"At the meetings the Tánaiste shared draft Terms of Reference for the forthcoming Statutory Inquiry. All groups have been given the opportunity to provide feedback to the Tánaiste on the draft Terms of Reference."