Press release
Tánaiste announces commencement of sections of the Defence Amendment Act and establishment of the EOB on a statutory basis (CD)
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Published on
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The Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin today announced that, pursuant to the Defence (Amendment) Act 2024, he has signed two Orders this week. The first Order commences provisions of the Act with effect from 6 November. The provisions that were commenced include the sections relating to the External Oversight Body and the section prohibiting the use of the term “Óglaigh na hÉireann” as the name of a body except where such use is authorised by law. The Tánaiste also announced that in accordance with the provisions in the Act relating to the establishment of the External Oversight Body, he has also now signed an establishment order which appoints 1 December 2024 as the date for the establishment of the External Oversight Body on a statutory basis.
In tandem with the development, the Tánaiste has also expressed his gratitude to the outgoing Chair of the External Oversight Body, Professor Brian MacCraith, who, along with Mr Aongus Hegarty, will be stepping down from their positions as the Body transitions to a statutory body, due to other commitments.
Since its establishment on a non-statutory basis in April 2023, Professor MacCraith has served as the Body’s Chairperson while Mr Hegarty has been a member over the same period. As the Body now establishes on a statutory footing, the other current five members of the non-statutory body will continue to serve as members with Ms Patricia King replacing Professor MacCraith as Chairperson. New members of the Body include Mr Jim Breslin, Mr Liam Doherty PhD and Mr Pat O’Doherty. The legislation allows for another further member and this is being actively progressed, particularly one with military transformation experience in another jurisdiction.
Speaking today, the Tánaiste stated:
“I am extremely grateful to both Brian MacCraith and Aongus Hegarty for their outstanding service over the past 18 months as members of the non-statutory body. Together with the other members, they have successfully established the External Oversight Body as a critical and highly respected element in driving necessary culture change throughout the Defence Forces and in increasing transparency and accountability.
"This focus of the Body will continue to be unrelenting in this regard and I want to thank Patricia King for agreeing to take on the role as independent Chair for the next four years. She brings a wealth of valuable experience and expertise and I have no doubt she will very effectively build on the excellent work to date. The calibre and combined skills and experience of each member of the Body gives me every confidence that this will happen.”
Establishment of External Oversight Body followed publication of the report of the Independent Review Group on Dignity and Equality Issues in the Defence Forces on 28 March 2023. In April 2023 and in line with one of the report’s 13 recommendations, the government agreed to set up an External Oversight Body, on a non-statutory basis initially.
Membership of the External Oversight Body of the Defence Forces as it now transitions to a statutory body, with effect from 1 December next, comprises:
Patricia King is former General Secretary of ICTU. She is a former vice-President of SIPTU and also served as one of two vice-Presidents of Congress. A full time official with SIPTU for over 25 years, she was the first woman to serve as a national officer of the union when she was appointed vice-President, in May 2010. She has represented workers in all areas of the economy, in both the public and private sectors. Patricia was a lead negotiator in both the Croke Park and Haddington Road agreements. She played a leading role in the Irish Ferries dispute (2005/6) and in subsequent negotiations that saw an overhaul of employment rights law and the establishment of the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA). Patricia currently serves on the boards of the Apprenticeship Council, Court Services Board and the Climate Change Advisory Council and Housing Commission.
Josephine Feehily has over 25 years’ experience at the most senior levels in the Irish public service and, since her retirement from full-time executive work, in leading critical change initiatives on behalf of the Irish Government. During her career she held a wide range of positions including leading the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, recognised as one of the most agile and digitally enabled public bodies. In Revenue, she was Commissioner from 1998 and Chairman from 2008 to 2015 – the first woman to hold either position. She led significant change and innovation during a time of growth and challenge. In recent years, as part of a suite of reform measures in the Justice sector, she established and chaired the first Policing Authority in Ireland, to oversee the performance by the Garda Síochána of its policing functions and to make senior Garda appointments independent of Government, and later chaired the Pensions Commission which reviewed aspects of Ireland’s State pension system and the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund. Currently, Josephine is Chair of the Governing Body of the Technological University of the Shannon.
Julie Sinnamon is former CEO of Enterprise Ireland, a government agency responsible for the growth of Irish-owned businesses in global markets. Prior to her appointment to CEO in November 2013, Julie held a number of senior public sector positions, spanning a 30-year career in Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland. Julie is on the Investment Committee of the Irish Strategic Investment Fund and is a member of the Irish Government’s Climate Change Advisory Council. Julie is Chair of European Movement Ireland and holds a number of Directorships including Director of the PWC Ireland Public Interest Body, Cairn Homes plc, The Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, The Agricultural Trust and Social Entrepreneurs Ireland. A strong proponent of initiatives that drive diversity and the building of balanced teams in the workplace, Julie is a champion for women engaging at all levels within both the public and private sectors and is Co-Chair of Balance for Better Business, an independent group established by the Irish Government tasked with improving gender balance in senior leadership and Boards in Ireland. In 2022 Julie was appointed as Chair of the Independent Oversight Group which oversees the implementation of the Commission on Defence Forces report’s recommendations.
Sam des Forges was appointed in February 2021 as the first ever UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) Director of Diversity and Inclusion, later renamed Director of Conduct, Equity and Justice to better reflect the breadth of the portfolio. She provides support, and challenge, to colleagues across the Whole Force to ensure that Defence truly harnesses the power of difference to drive capability that safeguards our nation’s security and stability. Her portfolio includes D&I, the transformation of the Service Justice and Service Complaints systems, the implementation of recommendations from various reviews related to culture and unacceptable behaviours and the establishment of the Defence Serious Crime Unit and capability. Sam was previously the Director of Assurance, leading a diverse team of professionals who delivered risk, assurance, counter-fraud, anti-corruption and cost management activities across Defence. The Directorate provided support, challenge and assurance to MOD senior leadership in addressing the most complex challenges Defence faces and scrutinising strategic decisions. Prior to January 2019, Sam was MOD Head of Fraud Defence, leading on the prevention, detection and investigation of fraud and corruption in Defence. Sam worked with cross-government colleagues to develop and launch the Government Counter Fraud Profession and Functional Standard. She liaised with the defence industry, NATO, international allies and partners on counter-fraud and corruption matters. Sam joined the MOD in July 2016 from Network Rail, where she was Head of Business Integrity. Prior to joining Network Rail in 2013, Samantha spent 15 years with Ernst & Young where she led a variety of multi-jurisdictional fraud, bribery and corruption investigations and anti-fraud governance reviews. Sam is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW) and an ICAEW Accredited Forensic Accountant. Sam is the Defence LGBT+ Champion and Senior Role Model, a n advocate for members of the community across Defence, providing strategic guidance and supporting the work of the LGBT+ networks. She was previously the MOD Gender Champion and remains an active supporter of the MOD Gender networks.
Jim Breslin enjoyed a 30 year career in the Irish senior public service, spanning both central government and the health service. He was Secretary General of three different government departments. He was first appointed Secretary General in 2011 to lead the establishment of the new Department of Children and Youth Affairs. From 2014 to 2020 he was Secretary General of the Department of Health. From 2020 to 2023 he led the newly established Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Currently, Jim is Chair of Renewable Energy Ireland, a partnership between Ireland’s leading sustainable energy associations.
Liam Doherty is one of Ireland’s foremost experts in the area of industrial relations, employment relations and workplace dispute resolution. He holds a PhD from Queen’s University, Belfast having researched conflict management and dispute resolution systems in the FDI sector in Ireland. Liam was previously a Director of IR and ER with Ibec having spent over 20 years providing IR/ER service support to Irish business at national and sector levels. Liam has also been nominated by the State dispute resolution bodies to investigate and resolve challenging workplace disputes. He is a member of the Board of the Industrial Relations Research Trust and has also published widely on a range of IR and ER themes.
Pat O’Doherty is an Executive coach with Praesta Ireland and holds several non-executive board member positions. He has extensive business and organisational leadership experience with a deep interest in individual and team leadership development and the role of leadership in organisational transformation. Pat was Chief Executive of ESB from 2011 to 2021 having previously led each of ESB’s largest businesses during his earlier years. For over 25 years in senior and executive roles, Pat led the organisation through transformational change with a deep sense of commitment to the success of the business and its people, delivering on its purpose of service to customers and society. Pat is non-executive Chairman of Mares Connect, non-executive Chair of Business in the Community and a non-executive Board member of the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital. He is a Chartered Engineer & Fellow of Engineers Ireland and a qualified Executive Coach.
Jacqui McCrum is Secretary General of the Department of Defence. Jacqui joined the department as Secretary General in August 2020. Prior to that she was Deputy Secretary General in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. Previously she was the Director General and Accounting Officer in the Office of the Ombudsman, Offices of the Information Commissioner and Commissioner for Environmental Information, Standards in Public Office Commission, Referendum Commission and Commission for Public Service Appointments. She was previously Deputy/Acting Financial Services Ombudsman, Ireland and worked on the amalgamation of that office with the Pensions Ombudsman's office. Prior to that she had spent the majority of career in financial services in London and Dublin. She holds various academic qualifications including Professional Diploma in Human Rights and Equality; Certified Mediator; Certificate in Pensions Law and Practice; Post Graduate certificate in Sustainable Business (University of Cambridge), Institute of Directors (IoD) Diploma in Company Directions and Diploma in Montessori Studies.
Information in relation to the work of the External Oversight Body can be found on its website: External Oversight Body of the Defence Forces.