As the Defence Forces Tribunal resumed on Wednesday, a senior officer involved in human resources declined to answer whether “a good soldier” would complain.

The question was asked by senior counsel Gareth Compton, who represents serving and former members of the Defence Forces.

The exchange led to objections from a barrister for the State.

Earlier, Colonel Daragh O’Brien was asked if it had ever occurred to him that the Defence Forces’ complaints process should be run externally.

Mr Compton told him serving and former soldiers had repeatedly testified that they have “no confidence that the current (complaints) process is confidential”.

He asked if the notion of taking the complaints process “outside the chain of command to an external body” had ever occurred to him.

The cavalry officer, who has also served in the Defence Forces transformation management office, replied: “I cannot speak to that. It’s outside my remit.” 

Mr Compton said that such a move would “seem like a natural conclusion”.

Col O’Brien replied: “I cannot comment.”

Mr Compton then asked: “Would a good soldier complain?”

Col O’Brien, whose duty abroad includes tours in Lebanon, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Mali, remained silent and the barrister sat down after there were objections about his question.

Read full article by Neil Michael on the Irish Examiner website below.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41930046.html

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