MICHAEL C. O'MALLEY,
Sir, - As a former officer who had the good fortune to have a full career in the "corps" of my choice I am appalled, but not surprised, by the apparent injustice of the Donal de Roiste case and dismayed by the inability of Army Headquarters and the Department of Defence to put matters right.
Not that the current Defence Act has anything to do with justice. (If the truth were known it has precious little to do with defence either). The Defence Act is all to do with discipline and obedience. These are two very necessary aspects of military life but no substitute for justice. Section 50 of the Act is a throwback to the "crisis" of 1924 and provides no hearing, or appeal, for the unfortunate individual who is dismissed. Is it constitutional?
This and other sections of the Act are draconian in their intent and in their effect and have no place in the human resource management of any organisation, civil or military. In due course Donal de Roiste may well achieve some form of vindication. However, under the Defence Act, the mechanism used by the Department to exercise command over the military, he appears unlikely to get justice. I hope I am proved wrong. - Yours, etc.,
MICHAEL C. O'MALLEY,
(Lt- Col. Retired)
Straffan,
Co Kildare.