Tánaiste Welcomes Government Approval for Drafting of New Bill to Drive Cultural Transformation in the Defence Forces

The Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin TD, welcomed the Government’s approval for the drafting of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023 to drive cultural transformation in the Defence Forces.

This is the first of two Bills which the Tánaiste intends to bring forward in the next year to drive forward the cultural transformation of the Defence Forces.

The Tánaiste said, \”the Bill is an important step in delivering on the Strategic Framework for the Transformation of the Defence Forces. This is particularly the case in providing for the establishment and operation, on a statutory basis, of the External Oversight Body, which was a key recommendation of the Independent Review Group. The External Oversight Body will be a key driver in the implementation of the necessary cultural transformation throughout the Defence Forces, including addressing issues relating to dignity in the work place.\”

The Bill will also provide a statutory basis for the Minister for Defence to authorise the representative associations to associate with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).

In addition, the Bill will propose a number of miscellaneous amendments to the Defence Acts, including the protection of the term “Óglaigh na hÉireann”.

The Tánaiste also confirmed that a number of other legislative commitments relating to Defence policy and the transformation of the Defence Forces will be the subject of separate legislative proposals in 2024.