An Cosantóir

42 Internal Communications Update is created by the Defence Forces Internal Communications Team. Our aim is to deliver accurate and timely information of interest to our members in order to increase awareness on current and future developments across the organisation. Our segment in the An Cosantóir along with our online member's area on military.ie will allow information of interest to be distributed across the DF. The Member's Area of military.ie is to enable our personnel to access information while off-site. Confidential Contact Person (CCP) The Confidential Contact Person process has been introduced to reflect the seriousness of the allegations of bullying, harassment, sexual harassment or gender discrimination present in the Defence Forces. There is a commitment to an Independent Review but this will take time to establish. The CCP process has been established in order to provide an immediate opportunity to come forward and to direct support to those personnel who require it. It will also enable the Minister to gauge the extent of the issue and inform the Independent Review process. Both the CCP and support services are outside of the chain of command and are completely independent and confidential. On 6 October 2021 Minister for Foreign Affairs & Defence, Mr Simon Coveney announced interim support measures for members of the Defence Forces, past or present, who have been affected by unacceptable behaviour such as bullying, harassment, sexual harassment discrimination or sexual assault. In order to encourage impacted persons to come forward, the Minister announced that a totally independent organisation, Raiseaconcern, has been appointed as Confidential Contact Person (CCP). The role of the CCP is to assist persons who have been victims of such behaviour by listening to them and helping them document their complaints in a safe, supportive, independent environment. If you are such a person, you are encouraged to come forward. The CCP will not be investigating your complaint, nor will they be providing a counselling service, but as well as taking a written record of your complaint, they will advise and guide you on both processes. The CCP has no contact with, and is entirely independent and outside of, the Defence Forces Chain of Command and the Defence Organisation. The CCP will provide the Minister with periodic updates on the number and types of cases and issues they are seeing but will not reveal your identity or details that may identify you. The summary information provided to the Minister will inform the upcoming Independent Review process recently announced by the Minister. Frequently Asked Questions: 1) Who are Raiseaconcern? Established in 2013, Raiseaconcern is an independent Irish owned and operated organisation located in Sallins, INTERNAL COMMS INTERNAL COMMS Co Kildare. Raiseaconcern works with private sector and public bodies in the prevention, detection, investigation and remediation of workplace wrongdoing. 2) What is their role as Confidential Contact Person (CCP) As CCP, Raiseaconcern's role is entirely independent and outside of the Defence Forces Chain of Command and the Defence Organisation. The role of the CCP is to be available to listen and assist serving or former members of the Defence Forces, both male and female, who have been the victims of bullying, harassment, sexual harassment or gender discrimination in the workplace in documenting their complaint. If you are such a person, the CCP process is in place to give you the opportunity to tell this independent body about your concerns. It is important that this information is gathered in order to quantify the extent of the various issues and inform next steps and the Independent Review. Raiseaconcern will remain available to keep communication channels open with the individual should that individual wish to do so. Raiseaconcern will not be investigating allegations made, nor providing a counselling service but will advise and guide you on these. 3) How do I raise a concern with the CCP? You can make initial contact with the CCP by: Landline: 01 6107929 Mobile: 086 0299929 Email: defence@raiseaconcern.com Post: Raiseaconcern, Station House, The Waterways, Sallins, Co. Kildare W91 DN60 Having given brief details of your concern to Raiseaconcern, they will log your contact and revert to set up an appointment to obtain a more comprehensive account of your concern. They can do this by telephone, by webcam meeting (MS Teams) or in person in their offices in Sallins, Co Kildare. In exceptional circumstances, Raiseaconcern will make arrangements to meet you at a suitable alternative location. 4) Who is this service open to? This service is open to both serving and former members of the Defence Forces, male and female. 5) What will happen at my appointment? You will be met by two experienced Raiseaconcern staff who are Confidential Contact Persons (CCP). One will lead the meeting and the other will assist you by taking a written record of your complaint. Raiseaconcern will guide you through a process to ensure they capture all relevant information. The written record will not be a word for word account of what you say but will capture the key points clearly. A draft of your written record will be sent to you after the meeting to provide you with an opportunity to make any necessary corrections or clarifications or to add anything you have forgotten. Before the written record is finalised, the CCP will ask you to agree the content. By Lt Austin Doyle Photos provided by Lt Austin Doyle

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