Serving members of the Defence Forces will be able to make complaints outside their chain of command about behaviour they experience in the workplace under an independent system being introduced by the Government.
Former Labour Court chairman Kevin Duffy is to be appointed as the interim grievance manager for the Defence Forces.
Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris will today launch the independent External Grievance System, which will deal with complaints of an interpersonal nature from serving members. The system is being established on an interim basis for an initial 12-month period.
The initiative follows a recommendation by the independent review group on dignity and equality issues in the workplace, which was published in 2023.
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The grievance procedure will be available to members of the Permanent Defence Forces and the Reserve Defence Forces.
Under the system, Defence Forces members will be able to make a complaint regarding inappropriate behaviour of an interpersonal nature to the independent body. They will not have to take such complaints to their immediate superiors.
The system will be supported by a panel of external human resource professionals, who will carry out fact-finding investigations into such grievances and submit reports to Mr Duffy.
Mr Harris said ensuring “a safe and secure environment for members of our Defence Forces is a key priority” for him.
He said the independent grievance procedure would allow Defence Forces personnel to have “personal complaints investigated and dealt with in an independent, sensitive, and confidential manner”.
The Tánaiste urged any member of the Defence Forces who believes they had been subjected to inappropriate behaviour to make use of the system.
