The Women of Honour group has welcomed indications from Tánaiste Micheál Martin that there will be a full public inquiry into the Defence Forces – but said it wants to know “exactly what that means”.
The support group for former and current female Defence Force members who allege they were abused in the military has been calling for a tribunal of inquiry.
Mr Martin, who is also Minister for Defence, indicated he will recommend that the statutory inquiry is carried out in public.
Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting with the Tánaiste on Thursday, the group said the tribunal would be a “pointless exercise” without widening the terms of reference.
Spokeswoman Diane Byrne said: “We’ve always been adamant that a full public tribunal of inquiry was what was necessary.
“Otherwise, anything that was short of transparency and full public accountability was just not going to work.”
Asked how the group will engage with the inquiry if the terms of reference are not expanded, Ms Byrne said: “It depends where everything lands.”
She said the group works with other organisations which together represent many men and women.
“We want something that is going to work here but we also don’t want to cause more damage to victims and cause more hurt to people who didn’t get the opportunity to speak because they didn’t fit into this narrow box put forward in the terms of reference,” she said.
Earlier, Mr Martin said the investigation should take the form of a tribunal of inquiry with public hearings rather than a behind-closed-doors commission of inquiry.
The Tánaiste told the Dáil measures will be needed to allow people coming forward with abuse claims to give evidence in private to protect their identity.
He is due to outline his recommendations on the form of inquiry to Cabinet colleagues next week.
The Government has committed to a full statutory inquiry into allegations of sexual misconduct, bullying and discrimination in the Defence Forces after the recommendations of a report by an independent review group (IRG).
“I am minded to recommend to Government a public tribunal of inquiry but to tease through the mechanisms by which we will try and protect certain people who might wish to come forward and not be in the public glare,” he told the Dáil during Leaders’ Questions.
Mr Martin told the Dáil he does not believe there is a “great difference” between the proposed inquiry and what Women of Honour has been calling for.
He said legal advice indicates the scope covers several of the issues highlighted by the group.
The Tánaiste was responding to questions on the inquiry raised by Labour leader Ivana Bacik.
He conceded it would take several years for the inquiry to complete its work.
Mr Martin said he intends to get the inquiry up and running before summer recess.
He stressed the importance of its work, saying: “It’s absolutely essential that it’s a catalyst for a change in culture and how we do things in the future.”
