Simon Harris ‘not satisfied’ at Defence Forces’ handling of fallout of Cathal Crotty assault on Natasha O’Brien

Cathal Crotty, a serving member of the Defence Forces, walked free from court last week when he was given a three-year suspended sentence for attacking Natasha O’Brien.

The 22-year-old, with an address at Parkroe Heights, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms O’Brien in Limerick in 2022.

The Defence Forces have said internal proceedings are under way following the court process.

They have also launched a review into other members who have been convicted of gender-based violence.

At the weekend, thousands of people gathered in protests across the country in solidarity with Ms O’Brien, with a further protest planned outside the Dáil on Tuesday evening.

Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Harris said he wants to meet Ms O’Brien after the end of any further legal proceedings that may arise, and commended her for coming forward.

“We need more people to be coming forward, we need to have a zero-tolerance approach, and what we certainly don’t need is anybody being put off coming forward,” he said.

He also expressed anger at a “flurry of activity” by Defence Forces now, questioning whether it was prompted by the public interest in the case.

“It’s a harsh thing for me to have to say as Taoiseach but I feel I need to say it, would the Defence Forces be carrying out their review that they’re now carrying out was there not so much public interest in this?” he said.

“There are people in the Defence Forces who clearly knew this was happening, why did they do nothing? These are very serious questions and as Taoiseach I am not satisfied in relation to this, I am not satisfied at all.

“I am really angry about it because we are now seeing a flurry of activity but that flurry of activity is only coming about because of the bravery of Natasha O’Brien and I want to know how many other people are hiding with convictions in relation to domestic, sexual or gender-based violence.

“They have no place, absolutely no place, in the Defence Forces.”

Natasha O’Brien speaking at the No Justice No Peace Rosa protest in Limerick

Meanwhile, Tánaiste Micheál Martin has defended his role as Defence Minister and said he has recently established a tribunal of inquiry into allegations about the Defence Forces highlighted by an independent review.

The tribunal opened on Monday and appealed to former and serving members of the Defence Forces to engage with it.

He said: “The independent review group exposed a litany of unacceptable behaviours within the Defence Forces and also serious issues around the concept of complaints process, the degree to which many people felt they couldn’t come forward and make complaints, and the general culture within the Defence Forces.

“That’s now up and running, the first time ever in the history of the Defence Forces that we’ve had such a tribunal of inquiry and that represents probably the most significant decision taken by the government or any minister (for defence). And it’s unfortunate that we had to take that decision, but take it we had to, and I was determined to do it and we’ve also brought in other reforms.”

He criticised “such unacceptable and violent and vicious acts on women, in particular in the Natasha O’Brien case”.

“There’s no toleration for any violence against women or indeed, anybody within the Defence Forces,” he said. “There’s a value system there and there are many, many members of Defence Forces who adhere to those values. That has to be said as well.

“But there has to be clearly no tolerance for the kind of behaviour that came forward in the courts, particularly last week.”