Press release
Tánaiste welcomes government approval for drafting of new Bill to drive cultural transformation in the Defence Forces
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Published on
Last updated on
The Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin welcomed the government’s approval for the drafting of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023.
This is the first of two Bills which the Tánaiste intends to bring forward in the next year to drive forward the cultural transformation of the Defence Forces.
The Tánaiste said:
“The Bill is an important step in delivering on the Strategic Framework for the Transformation of the Defence Forces. This is particularly the case in providing for the establishment and operation, on a statutory basis, of the External Oversight Body, which was a key recommendation of the Independent Review Group. The External Oversight Body will be a key driver in the implementation of the necessary cultural transformation throughout the Defence Forces, including addressing issues relating to dignity in the work place.”
The Bill will also provide a statutory basis for the Minister for Defence to authorise the representative associations to associate with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).
In addition, the Bill will propose a number of miscellaneous amendments to the Defence Acts, including the protection of the term “Óglaigh na hÉireann”.
The Tánaiste also confirmed that a number of other legislative commitments relating to Defence policy and the transformation of the Defence Forces will be the subject of separate legislative proposals in 2024.
The Independent Review Group (IRG) was established on 25 January 2022 to examine issues relating to allegations of discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and any form of sexual misconduct in the Defence Forces.
The IRG Report, which was published on 28 March 2023, recommended the establishment of an External Oversight Body (EOB).
Having accepted the recommendations of the IRG, the government established the EOB of the Defence Forces on 5 April 2023 (on a non-statutory basis initially) and its Terms of Reference were agreed on 12 July 2023.
The role of the EOB, which is chaired by Professor Brían MacCraith and comprises six other members, is to oversee the implementation of relevant recommendations made in the IRG Report, to increase transparency and accountability in the Defence Forces and to bring about necessary changes to the workplace culture and behaviour in the Defence Forces.
The EOB’s Terms of Reference require that it report to the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence on a quarterly basis.
The EOB’s first written report, which they’ve presented to the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, covers the period since its establishment in April 2023 to the end of September. This report is published on the EOB’s website, with the report itself available on the EOB website.