Call for Information and Statements

Tribunal of Inquiry into Issues Relating to the Complaints Processes in the Defence Forces and the Culture Surrounding the Making of Complaints

(‘Defence Forces Tribunal’)

Established by the Government under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts 1921 to 2004 by statutory instrument signed by the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence on the 20th day of June 2024.

CALL FOR INFORMATION AND STATEMENTS


TAKE NOTICE that the Defence Forces Tribunal is calling for any person who has knowledge or information or material that is relevant to its Terms of Reference, which are set out below, to contact the Tribunal for the purpose of providing it with such knowledge, information and material.

The Terms of Reference for the Tribunal are as follows:

  1. to establish whether the Complaints Processes in the Defence Forces in relation to Complaints of Abuse were appropriate and fit for purpose;
  2. to establish whether the Complaints Processes in the Defence Forces in relation to Complaints of Abuse were followed;
  3. to consider and report on the response to and outcome of Complaints of Abuse, and to identify any systemic failures in the Complaints Processes in the Defence Forces;
  4. to investigate whether Complaints of Abuse were actively deterred or whether there was a culture that discouraged the making of Complaints of Abuse;
  5. to investigate whether there were reprisals against those who made Complaints of Abuse by way of retaliation, by intimidation consequent on the making of a Complaint of Abuse or by the imposition of any penalty or burden upon a person who made a Complaint of Abuse;
  6. to investigate the nature and performance of the statutory role of the Minister for Defence/Department of Defence in the systems and procedures for dealing with Complaints of Abuse; and
  7. to investigate the response to Complaints of Hazardous Chemicals and to consider the adequacy of the Complaints Processes in light of the responses to same.

In particular, the Tribunal is calling for anyone who has knowledge or information or material that is relevant to any of the matters set out in the Terms of Reference to provide the Tribunal with a written statement that sets out the details of such knowledge or information or material. Statements should be as comprehensive and as relevant as possible.

Whilst hearings before the Tribunal are public in nature, there is provision within the law for the Tribunal to permit a hearing to be held otherwise than in public if, in the opinion of the Tribunal, it is in the public interest expedient to do so for reasons connected with the subject matter of the inquiry or the nature of the evidence to be given.

All relevant information or statements should be marked for the attention of the Tribunal’s Solicitor and forwarded to the Defence Forces Tribunal, Infinity Building, Third Floor, George’s Court, George’s Lane, Smithfield, Dublin, D07 E98Y.
Persons submitting statements are requested to do so by close of business on the 16th day of August 2024.

All documents received by the Tribunal are subject to the National Archives Act 1986 and Part 15 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011, as amended, and will, save for limited exceptions, become part of the National Archives upon completion of the Tribunal’s inquiry.

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