Tánaiste details charges against Defence Forces members

Five of the cases relating to 68 Defence Forces personnel who are convicted or before the courts are of sexual assault, while 24 were physical assault, the Dáil has heard.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin also said six of the cases related to domestic violence.

He said many of the individuals who remain in the Defence Forces are “on local leave”, and stressed that “in my view there is a special onus” on any issues in the organisation being addressed.

Responding to Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns, Mr Martin defended the Government’s approach to gender-based violence, saying “it’s not just all talk”.

Speaking during Leaders’ Questions, Mr Martin said the Government published a “zero tolerance strategy” in relation to gender and sexual-based violence two years ago, which has a budget of€$55 million this year.

Ms Cairns said there is an “epidemic” of sexual and gender-based violence, and said it is “bizarre” the Government needs to appoint a senior counsel “to be told” people convicted of assaults in the Defence Forces “should not be serving”.

She said this “is not an approach that screams zero tolerance” and said “it’s hard to find evidence of a zero tolerance approach anywhere”.

Deputy Cairns said Ireland was told this week of a taxi driver who had previous convictions, asking “why did he still have a taxi licence”.

And she said concerns also exist in the dental profession, but “nothing has been done”.

Mr Martin responded saying “you have this way, in a very self-righteous way” of addressing the issue, saying “you said it is all talk on this side of the House, I made the response that it’s not all talk”.

The Tánaiste said while “Government has a responsibility”, the underlining issues are “multi-faceted”.