Micheál Martin agrees to re-engage with Women of Honour ahead of tribunal

Women of Honour representatives, from left, Diane Byrne and Yvonne O’Rourke, both retired army captains, and Roslyn O’Callaghan, a retired army corporal. Picture: Conor Ó Mearáin / Collins

Defence Minister Micheál Martin has agreed to go “back to the drawing board” on his plans for the forthcoming Defence Forces tribunal, according to the Women of Honour (WoH).

The group of survivors of abuse in the Defence Forces say Mr Martin agreed to re-engage on issues of concern to them after what they described as a “frank” meeting with him in Dublin on Thursday.

They have previously spoken about becoming disillusioned with the way the tribunal was being set up and have slammed its agreed terms of reference as “too vague and too narrow”.

Diane Byrne, who helped set up the group, said: “It was a very frank meeting. The conversation was as frank as it gets, really.

“But it worked because he has now agreed to re-engage with us on the terms of reference, and to — in effect — go back to the drawing board.

I’m surprised he agreed to do that because I know he is very keen to get this across the line and for it not to be a too broad and drawn-out tribunal process.

“But we were very emphatic about the concerns we have and that we are not accepting where things are at the moment, and he got that.

“The fact that he is prepared to go back to the drawing board on certain issues and concerns we have is very welcome.” 

The group, which has highlighted decades of allegations of abuse in the Defence Forces, has asked that “incidents” of abuse be covered, not just “complaints” of abuse because reports have shown up to 80% of Defence Forces abuse victims never complain.

The WoH also wants Mr Martin to stop “syphoning out” issues from the remit of the forthcoming tribunal.

Diane Byrne, who helped set up the group, said it was a very frank meeting. Picture: Conor Ó Mearáin / Collins 

These include health and safety legislative issues and so-called “medical boarding”, which is where healthy and fit soldiers can end up being marked as unable to do their job and “downgraded”.

Such downgrading, which can be used as a form of bullying and penalisation, excludes them from carrying out various duties from which they could get an allowance or from taking part in courses that could help them get promoted.

“We fought for two years for a tribunal,” the former army captain, who sued the army for being excluded from a promotion process because she had taken maternity leave, said.

“But there is not much point holding a tribunal if it is not set up properly.

"We want to engage in the process and we want to make sure we get this as right as we can."

A spokesperson for Mr Martin said: "The Tánaiste has engaged with a number of groups, including representatives of the Women of Honour, in relation to the terms of reference for the establishment of a statutory Tribunal of Inquiry.

"Today, he had a further meeting with the Women of Honour group regarding the terms of reference.

"The Tánaiste agreed to reflect on matters raised in the meeting and will consult with the Attorney General.”