Women of Honour: Tánaiste to receive independent review into allegations of abuse

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said he is due to receive the independent review into the allegations of the Women of Honour later on Thursday.

Mr Martin said he will be considering the report in full in consultation with the Attorney General and would bring the report to Government “for its consideration and subsequent publication”.

The Tánaiste said the report and its recommendations would be “very important” and that there would be engagement with the relevant stakeholder groups and members of the Defence Forces.

Mr Martin was responding to Sinn Féin TD Sorca Clarke in the Dáil, who asked for an update on the independent review. The Longford-Westmeath TD said the Government had given a commitment that the report would be completed within a year and that over a year had passed “and still no sign of this report”.

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In response, the Tánaiste said he had not yet seen the report but was due to be presented with it later on Thursday.

[ Women of honour refused access to interim report detailing abuse in Defence Forces ]

“There has been no delay on my side, once you appoint an independent report you have to allow the judge to conduct the report without any engagement or interference from our side, the political side,” he said.

The allegations of the Women of Honour group first came to light in an RTÉ documentary in 2021, prompting then Minister for Defence Simon Coveney to establish an Independent Review Group.

The Women of Honour group, made up of former Defence Force members, made detailed allegations of sexual abuse, harassment, discrimination and bullying.