Tánaiste receives report on Defence Forces convictions

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence has received a report from the Defence Forces detailing the number of personnel serving who have a conviction relating to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

Micheál Martin requested the report in the wake of the conviction of Private Cathal Crotty for assaulting Natasha O’Brien in 2022.

Crotty was given a suspended sentence for the attack, after pleading guilty.

The sentence, which Ms O’Brien has described as not providing justice, has been widely condemned by members of the public and some politicians.

The Defence Forces is in the process of examining the future of the 22-year-old serving soldier.

It previously said that it had to wait until due process had been completed in a civilian court of law.

It is understood that the Defence Forces has to wait to determine if Crotty will initiate legal proceedings of his own against a potential dismissal.

Crotty has been formally “paraded” – a process which could lead to his discharge from the Defence Forces.

He has seven days within which to make a representation on his own behalf, today marking the seventh and last day in which he can do so.

A decision will be made by his commanding officers on a number of options and that decision could be made early next week.

Earlier this week, Taoiseach Simon Harris said it was “utterly unacceptable” that the Defence Forces was unable to provide information around the number of people serving with criminal convictions.