Defence Forces colonel denies apprentices were ‘terrified’ at training school

A senior officer has told the Defence Forces tribunal that he was surprised to hear apprentices would have been too “terrified” to complain about conditions in the apprentice school.

Generic Stock Defence Forces, action, training, soldiers, Air Corps (UJuly 2020)

The Defence Forces Apprentice School was like a “family”, Colonel Fred O’Donovan told Friday’s hearing.

The veteran of missions in Lebanon, Afghanistan, Chad, Kosovo and Brussels was responding to questions from the tribunal judge Ms Justice Ann Power.

“It depends on the context but I would be surprised if it happened in my time,” Mr O’Donovan said of the school, which closed in 1998. “Not everyone is perfect but we do do our best.”

Earlier, Ms Power had also questioned Mr O’Donovan — who trained recruits at the school between 1995 and 1998 — about his statement that apprentices could “confront the person causing harm” to them.

On a previous day, it had emerged that a teenage Defence Forces apprentice’s death in 1991 at Devoy Barracks in Co Kildare was regarded as suicide within his platoon. As well as investigating his death, the Defence Forces had also investigated a complaint Oliver Mullaney had been mistreated by a superior officer just days before he died.

The bombshell revelation by Colonel Damien Coakley was the first time it had ever been made public that there were two Defence Forces investigations into Mr Mullaney’s death, and that it could have been caused by anything other than an accident.

Ms Justice Power had asked Mr O’Donovan what he would tell apprentices to do if they were not happy with the way a superior officer was testing them.

To his reply that he would tell them to “confront” the superior officer, the judge asked him if that was really a realistic course of action.

He replied: “Probably not.” But he added that, in his time, “there were no real issues” and there was a good “bond” between apprentices and their senior officers.

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

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41857569.html

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Teenage Defence Forces apprentice’s death in 1991 was regarded as suicide within his platoon, tribunal hears

A teenage Defence Forces apprentice’s death in 1991, treated officially as an “accident”, was regarded as suicide within his platoon, it has been revealed.

04/06/2026 Dublin Irish leinster Ireland. Photo shows Col Damien Coakley arriving at the Defences Forces Tribunal taking place at the Infinity Building in Smithfield Dublin into claims of the culture surrounding the making of complaints of abuse. The tribunal is focusing on complaints processes in the Defence Forces spanning over four decades, from 1983 to 2024. Photo: Leah Farrell/© RollingNews.ie

It has also emerged that, as well as investigating his death, the Defence Forces had also investigated a complaint Oliver Mullaney had been mistreated by a superior officer just days before he died.

The head of the Defence Force’s military police revealed the existence of the two investigations into Mr Mullaney’s death to tribunal lawyers when they interviewed him last month.

The revelation by Colonel Damien Coakley is the first time it has ever been made public there were two Defence Forces investigations into Mr Mullaney’s death and that it could have been caused by anything other than an accident.

Under cross examination by the tribunal’s senior counsel Michael Cush, the Irish forces provost marshal and director of military police told tribunal investigators he had become aware of “certain issues” around the death of Mr Mullaney in 1991.

He said he discovered there were two investigations into the 19-year-old’s death.

He found this out after he had been instructed by the tribunal to look into the investigation of Mr Mullaney’s death.

Mr Cush said: “In assisting the Defence Forces prepare for this tribunal, you became aware there were, in fact, two separate military police investigations in relation to the death of [Mr Mullaney]”.

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

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41856930.html

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Defence Forces to explain at public hearing its handling of complaints from members

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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Government playbook in Air Corps scandal copies all the others

The State’s response to decade-old Air Corps chemical exposure scandal is clearly one of ‘deny, delay, die’

**Gavin Tobin beside Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel Co. Dublin. it has been over a decade since he, one of the whistle-blowers, first took legal action against the State**
Photo: Gareth Chaney

I have a personal yardstick by which to measure how long it has been since the Irish Examiner broke news of the scandal of the chemical exposures suffered by Air Corps personnel.

I will always know my first story on this was published in January 2017.

I remember because a couple of weeks or so after a series of revelations in this newspaper, I was coming out of a maternity ward buzzing from the high of becoming a father for the first time.

Leaving the hospital, I checked my voicemail, assuming the missed call from a private number was a well-wisher leaving a quick note of congratulations.

The curt tone that greeted me made it apparent this was not the case. Instead, a senior member of the government of the day was letting me know, in a very diplomatic “I’m not angry, just disappointed” manner, what he thought of our coverage of the Air Corps scandal.

For obvious reasons I can’t recall verbatim a voicemail from over nine years ago, but the word that stood out then and still does now was “unfair”.

We had revealed that Air Corps personnel were not properly protected from the dangerous, carcinogenic, chemicals with which they worked in Casement Aerodrome.

We highlighted how whistle-blowers raising the alarm felt they were not being heard by the Defence Forces, the State, or senior politicians.

After public pronouncements from one minister to say they were not aware of any issues whistle-blowers had with contacting them, we published a series of messages between whistle-blowers and politicians that showed they had unsuccessfully tried to speak with the cabinet member on the matter.

State can act swiftly in certain matters

When RTÉ broke the Women of Honour story in 2021, detailing abuse suffered by female members of the Defence Forces, an official investigation and tribunal of inquiry swiftly followed.

The Air Corps allegations were added to the terms of reference of this tribunal — but jaded campaigners understandably believe they were only thrown in as an afterthought, benefitting from the larger outcry over a different scandal.

Even then, the tribunal is tasked with probing the handling of complaints about toxic exposure, not the exposure itself.

What is most unforgiveable about the State’s inaction on this issue is that a blueprint was there for them to follow.

The Australian Air Force had similar complaints from its mechanics, and established investigations, health screening, and supports for those affected.

“A precedent has been set by Australia where, in the early 2000s, the issue was identified and acted on by the Australian government,” Micheál Martin told the Dáil in 2017.

“Why was the State so slow to respond to the whistle-blowers and to investigate the health conditions at Baldonnel?” the man who is now Taoiseach asked.

Read full article by Joe Leogue at the Irish Examiner website below.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-41807864.html

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Exposure to toxic chemicals in the Air Corps: ‘I hate that my life feels over at 53’

Years of exposure to toxic chemicals while serving in the Air Corps have left Mick Murphy practically bed-ridden.

After serving in the army and then the air corps before distinguished service in the gardaí, Mick Murphy has much to be proud of.

As well as a successful battle against cancer in his 20s, the 53-year-old also brims with pride when he thinks about his three daughters and his son.

But there is also sadness. Years of exposure to toxic chemicals while serving in the air corps have taken their toll. They have left him practically bed-ridden amid decades of constantly battling one illness after the other.

When Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, then in opposition, labelled the air corps toxic chemical exposure scandal a “horror story” in the Dáil in 2017, Mr Murphy knew exactly what he was talking about.

The previous year, there were only two months when he wasn’t in a hospital. Then, that December, he got hit by double pneumonia and pulmonary sepsis. As a result, he now has to use a nebuliser four times a day as well as an inhaler. He had to have an oxygen-compression machine fitted in his bedroom and oxygen tanks installed downstairs.

Mr Murphy’s horror story began just a few years after he completed his Leaving Certificate in 1989.

About four years after he started in the air corps, he started getting tired more often and experienced chest pain, night sweats, and a persistent cough.

A year after daughter Aoife was born, he got news he didn’t expect: He had the blood cancer Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was only 23.

“I couldn’t believe it,” he says. “I was just floored by the news. I was never told any cause for my cancer and I suppose I just thought I had been a bit unlucky in life. It was only later in life that I heard about friends I had served with either died or ended up being really sick.

Unbeknown to him at the time, the disease is one of the cancers linked to exposure to certain industrial chemical solvents like TCE.

Other consequences of exposure to toxic chemicals include an increased risk of developing depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders.

There was no history of cancer in his family so the diagnosis came as a massive shock.

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

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/spotlight/arid-41800226.html

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Promises, warnings, and 115 deaths: The air corps toxic chemicals controversy

Despite repeated warnings, rising litigation and more than 100 suspected premature deaths, air corps survivors say they are still fighting for answers and support almost a decade after the then Taoiseach promised action, writes Neil Michael

On Wednesday, February 1, 2017, the then taoiseach ended a heated debate about air corps personnel exposure to toxic chemicals with five words.

Addressing the Dáil, Enda Kenny vowed: “We will sort this out.”

He was bruised by Micheál Martin’s excoriation of him, his government, and his ministers for their “unacceptable response” to “a very serious issue which could represent a serious scandal”.

Days previously, the Irish Examiner had published exclusive articles by reporter Joe Leogue exposing allegations around chemical exposure to personnel in the Air Corps.

State Claims Agency involvement

They also came a year after investigators for the State Claims Agency (SCA) were informed air corps personnel using toxic chemicals did not have access to personal protective equipment (PPE) and had never had access to it, or training on how to handle toxic chemicals.

The SCA found this out because after it received a claim in August 2013, which alleged personal injuries were caused by exposure to toxic substances in Baldonnel, it emailed the Department of Defence’s litigation branch.

The agency asked the department to appoint a liaison officer to prepare a detailed claims report outlining the background and circumstances of the claim the SCA had received in August 2013.

Timeline

- - 1980s: Air corps personnel begin requesting protective equipment and safety measures for handling toxic chemicals.
  - 2013: The State Claims Agency (SCA) receives chemical‑exposure claim lodged by air corps technician and whistleblower Gavin Tobin. It asks the Department of Defence to appoint a liaison officer and compile a detailed claims report.
  - Mr Tobin files High Court case seeking records of chemicals he was exposed to during air corps service.
  - 2014: SCA receives Chemical Exposure Report (1994-2005).
  - 2015: First of three protected disclosures made by Mr Tobin to then defence minister Simon Coveney.
  - 2016: The Health and Safety Authority warns air corps it faces prosecution unless 13 safety recommendations are implemented.
  - 2016: Department of Defence appoints Christopher O’Toole to review whistleblowers’ allegations.
  - 2017: Joe Leogue’s reporting in the Irish Examiner triggers scrutiny.
  - O’Toole report submitted in June, days before Micheál Martin meets air corps survivors in Leinster House.
  - 2018: HSA satisfied air corps has implemented the 2016 safety recommendations. It considers the matter closed.
  - 2024: Complaint made about an air purifier in an air corps hangar made to air corps chiefs.
  - 2025: Air corps survivor Gary Coll settles his High Court case for €2m.
  - Then defence minister Simon Harris tells the Dáil there is “active engagement” between the SCA and litigants to find “mutually agreeable resolutions”.
  - Mr Tobin makes protected disclosure to Mr Harris about issues raised in 2024 around an air purifier.
  - New defence minister Helen McEntee declines a meeting with Gavin Tobin citing ongoing litigation. Department of Defence examining how an assessment of needs could work. Mr Martin tells the Irish Examiner he supports the proposed review and “will have a look” at what emerges.

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

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41800793.html

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Defence Forces warned it could be prosecuted for safety breaches over staff exposure to hazardous chemicals

Health and Safety Authority inspectors visited hangars and workshops at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, Co Dublin, in December 2023, and numerous issues were raised in relation to health and safety of staff.

The Defence Forces was warned it could be prosecuted over health and safety breaches in the air corps in 2023, more than seven years after issues were first raised.

Health and Safety Authority (HSA) inspectors visited hangars and workshops at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, Co Dublin, in December 2023, and numerous issues were raised in relation to health and safety of staff.

Details of the inspection have been released, as up to 20 men are taking a case against the State, claiming exposure to hazardous chemicals while working for the Air Corps.

They say they were not provided with personal protective equipment (PPE), or training in the handling or use of hazardous chemicals.

After the 2023 inspection, the HSA warned the Air Corps: “Failure to comply with this advice and relevant legal requirements may result in further enforcement action, including prosecution.”

On the day of the inspection, the HSA issued the Defence Forces with a contravention notice in relation to staff working with diisocyanates, which are highly reactive toxic chemicals used in foams, coatings, adhesives, and sealants.

Occupational exposure can cause severe asthma and, in some cases, cancer.

Read full article by Neil Michael at the Irish Examiner

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41800793.html

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Problems with Isocyantes were first noted in the Air Corps 30 years ago and reported in the Forbairt Report released in January 1997.

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Public health expert calls for probe into 400 Air Corps deaths

One of Ireland’s leading public health experts has said there are grounds for an in-depth examination into the deaths of more than 400 serving and retired Air Corps personnel.

Professor Anthony Staines believes there are indications that the death rates among the personnel — around 200 of whom died under the age of 65 between 1980 and 2026 — appear to be “excessively high”.

Around 20 men are taking cases against the State amid claims they were exposed to hazardous chemicals while working for the Air Corps and were not provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) or training in the use of hazardous chemicals. Many worked with chemicals used to clean engine parts.

The data raises some questions which merit a more in-depth examination,” Mr Staines said. “You have to understand that people who joined the Air Corps would be among the fittest, and would have to pass many sorts of tests.

“Given the number of men who have died prematurely, there are — in my view — enough suspicious indications that there is something, or was something, going on. This might be due to errors in the data collected, but it could represent a real problem.”

Some of the data includes information relating to 115 premature deaths collated by Gavin Tobin, who has been campaigning for health care and other support for Air Corps personnel who were exposed to toxic chemicals when they served.

The rest of the data has been collated by the Irish Examiner from a trawl through death notices. While it is estimated that since 1980 around 700 to 800 serving and former personnel have died, it was only possible to verify information in relation to 411 of them.

Read full article by Neil Michael at the Irish Examiner https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41800541.html

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Taoiseach “supportive” of review of healthcare needs of Air Corps personnel exposed to “dangerous chemicals”

The Taoiseach is to look at proposals to review the healthcare needs of sick former Air Corps personnel.

The review, initiated by then defence minister Simon Harris after it was suggested by Sinn Féin Cork South Central TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, was set up earlier this year to see how an assessment of needs could work.

Micheál Martin said he was supportive of the initiative when he was asked by the Irish Examiner, saying: “I will have a look at what they are proposing.”

Concerns were raised by Air Corps whistleblower Gavin Tobin more than 10 years ago regarding the issue.

Mr Martin is the third senior Government figure to show interest in a review of former Air Corps personnel’s health needs.

On Tuesday, defence minister Helen McEntee — who succeeded Mr Harris in November — told the Dáil senior officials in her department recently met Mr Ó Laoghaire to discuss the review.

Off the back of what she said was a “constructive” meeting, she told TDs she hoped to have a detailed report on proposals for a review of health needs by next March.

Read full article by Neil Michael at the Irish Examiner
https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41762378.html

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Mercury spill forces closure of Air Corps hangar at Baldonnel airbase

A toxic mercury spill temporarily shut down one of the Air Corps’ hangars, the Defence Forces have confirmed.

Details of the spill first emerged in an email sent on Monday by a commandant at Air Corps Headquarters in Casement Airbase, Baldonnel. He warned “all personnel” that Hangar No 4 was closed “due to a mercury spillage.”

He informed staff that the Air Corps Health and Safety Section had taken control of the clean-up operation and that the area would remain cordoned off until specialised cleaning equipment arrived.

A Defence Forces spokesperson confirmed the incident occurred at approximately 1.45pm on Monday.

A small quantity — 100 mg — of metallic mercury was accidentally spilled inside the hangar when an avionics device, a manometer, was dropped during transport.

The spokesperson said: “No personnel were exposed, and the affected area was immediately sealed off as a precautionary measure.

Air Corps Headquarters contacted the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and notified the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The spokesperson added: “There was no risk to personnel health at any time prior to the incident, as the mercury was securely contained and only present in a very small amount.

The spill occurred in the same hangar that recently hosted the Aviation and Aerospace Careers Expo, AvCon 2025.

The annual event showcases aviation careers and technology to more than 8,000 students across primary, secondary, and third-level education.

The Irish Examiner has learned that before the conference, the HSA received a complaint about the storage of turbine engine oils and hydraulic fluids in the hangar.

The Air Corps has been asked why the HSA visited the base and what actions or assurances resulted from the inspection.

Read full article by Neil Michael at the Irish Examiner
https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/arid-41569999.html

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Once again the Irish Air Corps play fast & loose with oversight authorities as they only notified the EPA & HSA after the Defence Forces press office was contacted by the journalist.