Women of Honour accuses Tánaiste of ignoring abuse victims by using ‘flawed terms’ for inquiry

The Women of Honour group, which has raised allegations of sexual attacks and other abuses in the Defence Forces, has accused Tánaiste Micheál Martin of ignoring victims by moving to “ram through flawed terms of reference” for an abuse inquiry.

The group, which is seeking a full tribunal of inquiry into abuses in the Defence Forces, is to meet Mr Martin, who is also Minister for Defence, at Government Buildings on Thursday evening.

Ahead of their meeting the group said they had been notified this week by Mr Martin he does not plan to make any significant changes to the terms of reference for an inquiry, as they had requested, and he plans to put his proposals to Government next Tuesday.

“It is very disappointing that, despite in-depth discussions and the efforts of so many, comprehensive Terms of Reference will not be put forward to Government. We remain of a view that the Department of Defence is having too much influence in this matter and it is why the Tánaiste, who is Minister for Defence, is seeing fit to ignore victims,” the group said.

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“We believe it is a conflict of interest to have the Department of Defence involved in influencing Government to decide whether firstly it should be a Tribunal of Inquiry in public and secondly the remit of that inquiry. The Department of Defence seeks to make the terms of reference as narrow as possible to avoid its own culpability and that of prior Ministers for Defence and Defence Forces personnel over the years.”

The group said that had been told “at the 11th hour” that there would be no changes to the terms of reference. “All of this smacks of a pre-determined plan of action to railroad over us and other victims,” it said.

“We remain of a view that a Tribunal of Inquiry is a must. The public nature of a Tribunal of Inquiry will finally remove the secrecy and concealment that has blighted justice and accountability for decades. A private commission of inquiry will only be more of the same when a radically different approach is needed.”

A full public inquiry would afford “protection” particularly to serving personnel and this was “invaluable given the countless careers and lives that have been destroyed behind closed doors,” the group said. “Anything other than a public inquiry can only be perceived as putting the needs of the perpetrators ahead of needs of the victims.”

The group said it would be appealing to Mr Martin not to bring the terms of reference to Government next week unless there was evidence of agreement with the bulk of victims’ representative bodies.

“Unless the Government decides it will be a full Tribunal of Inquiry happening in public and with appropriate terms of reference, anything else will be seen as concealment, secrecy and a behind-closed-doors approach. The continued stonewalling by the Tánaiste of a transparent investigation and full terms of reference is unfathomable to us.”