Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 January 2026
462. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Defence if discrimination against primary carers within the Defence Forces has ceased as per the recommendations within the Commission on Defence report of 13 July 2022. [2276/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra463. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Defence as part of culture changes within the Defence Forces the substantial changes across HR structures their fare or primary carers within the Defence Forces; and how primary carers are considered with regard to career progression and equality within the Defence Forces. [2277/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra464. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces is addressing and accepting primary carers within the Defence Forces and engaging with families with caring responsibilities. [2278/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 462 to 464, inclusive, together.
I would like to assure the Deputy that primary carers are not discriminated against within the Defence Forces.
The Defence Forces offer equal opportunities for all personnel and is actively working on projects to provide further equality of opportunity for its personnel, fully recognising that a standardised approach may not be suitable for all personnel, including primary carers.
Given the nature of the military work, including overseas and operational deployments, not all primary carers may be in a position to participate in operational deployments at certain times during their lives. The Defence Forces are currently examining ways of making operational deployments more accessible for personnel. Options already introduced include offering shorter overseas deployments on a shared basis.
Following recommendations contained in the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces the Defence Forces are working to redevelop promotion systems to ensure they are open, competitive and entirely merit-based and to ensure there are objective, competitive selection processes designed for career course selection that recognise high performing individuals.
Members of the Defence Forces have a wide range of career progression pathways available to them in terms of professional development, skills acquisition and opportunities to be promoted to higher rank. Career progression opportunities are governed by merit-based systems to provide fairness and equality of opportunity to all applicants.
Recognising the importance also of measures to support work-life balance, and in line with the Commission on the Defence Forces, the military authorities are also examining access to career courses with a view to making these more accessible for all personnel including those who may be primary carers.
Proposals are under consideration around Flexible Working Arrangements such as part-time options and blended working arrangements and variable start/finish times, subject to the exigencies of the service.
In terms of engagement with serving members and their families, support continues to be available in both in state and on overseas deployments, through the Defence Forces Personnel Support Service (PSS) which includes a team of senior occupational social workers and trained military employee assistance personnel located in all Defence Forces Installations.
There have also been substantial recent change initiatives in the Defence Forces, as part of the cultural transformation agenda, including:
• The recruitment of externally appointment Head of Strategic HR, and creation of a full-time senior rank position of Gender Advisor (OF-5), with dedicated staffing resources.
• The creation of a mechanism to ensure there is female participation and input at all meetings at Defence Forces Board level.
• Culture and engagement surveys.
• Development of expanded recruitment channels targeting under-represented groups.
• Gender, diversity and unconscious bias training has been developed and is mandatory across all ranks of the Defence Forces.
• Mandatory Sexual Ethics and Respectful Relationships Training has been developed and more than 3,000 of our members have completed this training.
• The recruitment of new occupational social workers along with existing occupation social workers strengthens our ability to deliver this training organically and at scale, while also enhancing the Defence Forces capacity to provide professional support to members.
• The removal of the blanket exclusion of the Defence Forces from the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997.
• Provision of private healthcare to all enlisted personnel.
• A new independent Interim Grievance Manager offers members a non-statutory process to have a complaint investigated outside the chain of command.
• Professional training is now delivered to all Military Investigating Officers to ensure they have the skills and competence required to investigate complaints that are raised through the chain of command.
The Defence Forces Organisational Cultural Standing Committee is a further symbol of institutional commitment to cultural transformation. This committee provides strategic direction, monitors progress and ensures accountability in implementing cultural change communicated through initiatives such as ‘IT STOPS NOW’ Key Messages, Operations and Training Musters.
