'We were ambushed' by Defence Minister says former female Donegal soldier

A former Defence Forces soldier from Donegal, Retd. CQMS Karina Molloy, and member of the ‘Women of Honour’ group, which advocates justice for women and men who have suffered alleged sexism, bullying, sexual assaults and rape while serving their country, is now demanding a fully independent statutory tribunal, not the ‘toothless’ replacement, announced last week.

Karina served 31 years in the Defence Forces, served on multiple overseas missions with the United Nations and was the first non commissioned female officer in the country, before her retirement in 2012.  

She was also one of a number of women who made ‘protected disclosures’ in 2020 of their first hand experiences while serving with the Irish Defence Forces.    

She told the Donegal Post that the Group felt “ambushed” by Foreign Affairs and Defence Minister Simon Coveney last week, over the terms of reference of an investigation into addressing their serious allegations and testimonies, which were first raised in an Katie Hannon RTÉ documentary last year.

A follow up and “empathetic” meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Monday, did little to address their demands either. 

A last minute intervention  in an hour and a half meeting that a fully independent tribunal might be established in the future, if the judge-led review indicated such an option, would not address what the group claim is the “toxic culture” which currently prevails within the Defence Forces. 

The Ardara native, who now lives in Donegal Town, said the group were surprised when they met Minister Coveney, who presented the Group with what she said was a ‘fait accompli’ regarding the terms of reference of the investigation, as it indicated that it would be a judge-led independent review.

This was not what the ‘Women of Honour’ had sought previously at the end of last year, a fully Independent tribunal, which would also sought accountability and compel witnesses to attend.

Their subsequent meeting with Minister Coveney last Tuesday, only occurred after the terms of reference for the inquiry, had already rubber stamped by the Cabinet that morning, she said. 

What the Women of Honour Group tweeted last week after their meeting with Minister Simon Coveney

Taoiseach meeting had empathy but more was needed

On Monday, they met with the Taoiseach Micheal Martin, who was both empathetic and listened. He would only say that he would be amenable to a full statutory inquiry, only if it was recommended by the judge-led review. She said the group felt “deflated” but “there was still light at the end of the tunnel”.

She also said that had the Coveney meeting not being raised in the Dáil, the matter may have rested there.

She is now calling on TDs both in Donegal and the north west to ensure that a fully independent tribunal, not just a judge-led review that will essentially have little powers of persuasion or accountability.

She added that they had come out of the meeting with Minister Coveney before Christmas, “pretty positive, as we thought we were swaying him, as his last words were ‘leave this with me, I will reconsider your proposal’.

Karina Molloy served 31 years in the Defence Forces 

Referencing the subsequent January meeting last week she explained:

“But when we went in, we felt that we were ambushed because the first thing they asked us was ‘Ok Ladies, have you read the new terms of reference?’. And we looked at each other and said, No!”

She said that it was then intimated that they were supposed to get the “terms of reference” before coming in the door of that Coveney meeting.

The group then had to ask officials to leave the room, to discuss the contents of the “terms of reference” for the first time, thereafter learning it had already been rubber stamped at Cabinet that very same morning.

Minister Simon Coveney is under pressure on other fronts this week as well 

‘Confidential’ and ‘Final’ gave little room for negotiation 

She added: “The first thing we saw on that document was “Confidential” and “Final”.”

Upon examination of the document, it was little more than previous terms with a couple of minor addendums that had been rejected. 

While they would listen to our stories, listen to the victims' incidents and experiences, the review would not have the power to compel witnesses, retrieve documents or seek accountability from alleged perpetrators.

And this she says is what the ‘Women of Honour’ Group will continue to demand.