Maeve O'Connell
Ceist:242. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on the implementation of a new independent external complaints service for the Defence Forces. [31783/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 12 June 2025
Ceisteanna (242)
Freagraí scríofa
The report of the Independent Review Group (IRG), established to examine dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forces, recommended that members of the Defence Forces have ‘access to an independent, external complaints service delivered by a professional service provider for as long as it takes to put a trusted internal system in place’.
Externalising the complaints system on a statutory basis, as envisaged by the IRG, will require significant amendments to primary legislation, namely the Defence Act and will take some time. Accordingly, an interim process is required pending changes to the primary legislation.
There was engagement on the development of the new process with the External Oversight Body of the Defence Forces, the Defence Forces representative associations (i.e. RACO, PDFORRA and RDFRA), the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces and the Defence Forces Women’s networks.
The new Interim Grievance Manager Process, which launched in April 2025, provides serving members of the Defence Forces (both permanent and reserve) with an external and independent process through which complaints of an interpersonal nature such as complaints of bullying, harassment and sexual harassment and victimisation can be examined. Mr Kevin Duffy, former Chair of the Labour Court, has been appointed as the interim Grievance Manager (IGM) of the Defence Forces.
The new IGM process is now available to serving members of the Defence Forces (both Permanent and Reserve) for an initial 12 months’ trial period. A review of the process at that stage will inform the primary legislation required to establish a suitable complaints process for serving members of the Defence Forces on a statutory basis.
This new process is an addition to the existing suite of complaint and grievance options, internal and external, available to serving members of the Defence Forces, which includes an Ombudsman specific to members of the Defence Forces.
The introduction of the IGM process is another step in the implementation of the IRG recommendations and in the journey of cultural transformation in the Defence Forces. It is an important part in a wider review and redesign of the grievance management framework within the Defence Forces, which is aimed at building trust and confidence in the complaints processes.