A public tribunal into bullying, discrimination, and sexual harassment in the Defence Forces held its opening session today.

Serving and former members with information about such allegations are being urged to engage with the tribunal between now and August 16th.

The tribunal's establishment follows allegations of widespread abuse and misconduct made by a group of women veterans known as the Women of Honour.

Several members of the group attended this afternoon's hearing, including the group’s spokeswoman, Diane Byrne, a retired army captain.

Tribunal

She said some people would be apprehensive about coming forward.

“The freedom that comes from eliminating that sense of misplaced self-blame or shame that people are feeling, where they have no need to be feeling that, to step out into the light and say, ‘No, I’m sorry, it’s not okay,’” she said.

“There’s going to be a trust issue there, and people are going to have to take a leap of faith on this.

"But if enough people take a leap of faith and step forward, not everybody can be penalised for having come forward.

“We do understand that what happens behind closed doors is very hard to demonstrate, but now is the opportunity in a very structured process to be able to have your say and know that it’s down on paper that you’re safe.”

Main image: File photo of Defence Forces members. Image: RollingNews.ie