Geneva-based military NGO critical of Government appointment to Defence Forces group

A leading international military mediation body has questioned the Government’s decision to appoint the secretary general of the Department of Defence to a new group charged with overseeing and driving cultural reform in the Defence Forces.

The Women of Honour, whose allegations of sexual and other gender-based violence led to further damaging revelations about the Defence Forces, has already said it was “shocked” that Jacqui McCrum was appointed last month by Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin to the new external overnight body

Now the International Centre for Mediation in Armed Forces (ICMAF) — an international NGO based in Geneva, Switzerland — has added to that criticism. Its president, Jasna Stark, said any member of the group not perceived as independent could be accused of trying to slow down, and even derail, the change it was charged with bringing about. Her criticism comes on the same day (Tuesday) the Women of Honour are set to meet Mr Martin.

Ms Stark said the “credibility of change” being made to an institution like the Defence Forces was dependant on the “impartiality, neutrality, experience and competence” of officials chosen to bring about that reform. Members of the external oversight group should also be “free from any pressure, influence or manipulation” and motivated solely by achieving an “effective result” and not to satisfy particular interests.

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“Otherwise, they would be accused of having contributed to sabotaging the work and slowing down change,” she added of the new six-person group chaired by Prof Brian McCraith, who also chaired the task force on Covid-19 vaccination.

Ms Stark has set out her views in a statement issued to the Women of Honour after it asked for her opinion on the suitability of the department’s secretary general being appointed to the external group for the Defence Forces. The ICMAF says it “promotes and develops mediation in the armed forces in accordance with the human rights principles of international organisations such as the UN and the Red Cross”.

External oversight body

In reply to queries from The Irish Times, the Department of Defence said the Independent Review Group (IRG) was “explicit” in its recommendation that the secretary general of the department should be a member of the external oversight body.

“The work and scope of the external oversight body is future-focused and will enable the transformation of the current (Defence Forces) workplace,” the reply stated. It would also “enable the leadership of the Defence Forces to be held to account for progress on the necessary culture changes within the Defence Forces” and the implementation of relevant recommendations of the IRG report.

The IRG was established in the wake of allegations of sexual and other gender-based violence by the Women of Honour, who are all former members of the Defence Forces. The IRG’s report on dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forces was published last month and exposed a toxic culture where women were “barely tolerated”, with some sexually attacked.

The Women of Honour plan to raise the appointment of Ms McCrum with Mr Martin to the external oversight group. The Irish Times understands the Women of Honour will also seek an update from Mr Martin on the terms of reference of a statutory inquiry being established in the wake of the findings of the IRG. They are also set to ask Mr Martin why they were denied sight of the IRG report before it was published even though Raco, the body representing Defence Forces officers, had the report in advance of publication.