The most senior Defence Force member has admitted cultural issues still exist within the force.
Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Seán Clancy was responding to queries about how to attract women to join the army following the Women of Honour exposé where a number of former Defence Force members detailed allegations of sexual abuse, harassment and discrimination within the force.
Lt Gen Clancy said: “My direct message to anybody, irrespective of gender, is that this is a place where dignity and respect are first and foremost in your workplace.
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“Any inappropriate behaviour to anybody serving in the Defence Forces will simply not be tolerated.
“I think the actions we’ve taken to date, since the Women of Honour, and I’m grateful for the Women of Honour..it came at the beginning of my tenure and since that time I think the actions we’ve taken internally have spoken for themselves.
“We will constantly be vigilant and ensure respect and dignity is foremost to everybody's experience.”
When asked if unacceptable behaviour will be called out and put to him there have been cultural issues, he said: “There are. Some are historical and some are present and I’ve stated that also.
“We’ve seen significant, I suppose if you like, calling out inappropriate behaviour because some of this absolutely peer-to-peer calling it out for what it is.
“Inappropriate behaviour comes in the totality of the spectrum from misogyny right down to inappropriate language and behaviour and all of this has to stop and we are seeing a change, a mindset change.”
However, the media was then asked to stop asking further questions about the Women of Honour and about cultural issues by a female Defence Force official.
When Lt Gen Clancy was asked whether he believed the court martial system was fit for purpose, the same Defence Forces official interjected saying “we're not going there”.
But he eventually responded to the question after being pressed by numerous journalists, saying he was “very much open” to making the “necessary changes” to the courts martial system if the independent review currently being carried out into the Defence Forces finds issues.
Just 15 women have been recruited to the Defence Forces this year, around 40 last year and Lt Gen Clancy said recruitment has always been a challenge but he was “as anxious as anybody” to grow participation of females.
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