Soldiers face new selection process for overseas service
Soldiers seeking overseas service and careers courses are facing new interview and selection procedures, it was announced today.
The move was made when non-selection for promotion, courses and overseas service emerged as the main grievances made by members of the Defence Forces.
In the first annual report, the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces, Paulyn Marrinan Quinn, SC, upheld 10 of those complaints made by members.
“The majority of complaints that were eligible for investigation by my office concerned the non-selection of serving members for promotion, courses and overseas service,” said the barrister launching the report.
“In fact, of the 26 cases that I considered, 21 of these related to non-selection.
“As a result of some of my initial reports in respect of cases referred to me which related to the interview processes for NCO Career Courses and Overseas Service, new interview and selection procedures were introduced on an interim basis in July 2006.
“To have played a role in encouraging such change is an important milestone for my office to have achieved in its first year of operation.”
The Defence Forces has 10,500 permanent staff in its army, navy and air corps, while a further 13,000 are reserve members.
A total of 76 complaints were made in 2006 but 34 were resolved or withdrawn at an internal grievance stage while 18 went through internal stages.
The Ombudsman dealt with the 24 referrals and two direct complaints received, issuing a final determination in 16 cases.
They included 10 being upheld, two partially upheld, and four not upheld.
Of the 26 complaints, nine related to non-selection of promotion, eight related to non-selection for career courses, four were for non selection of overseas services, while five dealt with other issues including administration problems.
Referrals were made by 23 current members of the permanent defences, while only two of the complaints were made by female members.
Outgoing Defence Minister Willie O’Dea and the Armed Forces welcomed the findings.
From December 2005, the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces has provided serving and former members of the Defence and Reserve Forces with an impartial and independent review of their grievances which they believe have not been adequately addressed by the internal military complaints process.
Ms Marrinan Quinn’s groundbreaking work in this role was recognised both nationally and internationally.
In the mid-1990s, she advised the Hungarian government on the establishment of a Pension Ombudsman, is a founding member of the British and Irish Ombudsman Association and served on the sub-committee that established Standards of Best Practice for Ombudsmen.
During 2006, her office focused on promoting awareness of its work across serving members and former members of the Defence Forces.
