Public hearings will begin today on how the Defence Forces dealt with complaints from male and female personnel including a number related to sexual abuse and rape.
Giving evidence before Ms Justice Ann Power, the Tribunal of Inquiry will hear evidence from serving and former Defence Forces personnel.
The first hearing is the latest phase of the tribunal, which was established in June 2024 by then Tánaiste and minister for defence Micheál Martin, after a report of a review into allegations of brutal and “sadistic” abuse.
Those allegations, contained in the March 2023 Independent Review Group (IRG): Defence Forces Report, included the rape of both male and female soldiers.
The report also found that while abuse was mainly carried out by male officers — 88% of female soldiers polled reported they had suffered abuse — female officers were also involved.
Read full article by Neil Michael at the Irish Examiner website below.
https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-41807864.html
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