LAST UPDATE | 5 hrs ago

MEMBERS OF THE DÁIL rose to applaud Natasha O’Brien as she watched from the public gallery today. 

In a departure from the traditional business of the Dáil, Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl said:

“Thank you for coming here today. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond the circumstances that you find yourself in. And I ask everybody here to stand and applaud Natasha.” 

After the standing ovation was over, O Fearghaíl looked up at O’Brien and said:

We are on your side.

There has been a public outcry following the vicious assault of O’Brien by Cathal Crotty while he was serving member of the Defence Forces and his subsequent suspended sentence. 

Speaking to The Journal after she left Dáil Éireann, O’Brien said the round of applause was phenomenal and that it was important to have a victim of male violence sit before elected representatives when so many women have not had the opportunity. 

Natasha O'Brien Jane Matthews Jane Matthews

“The sentence that my attacker received was not an unduly lenient sentence and that is the issue. We need to change it all, it all needs to change and the Taoiseach is responsible,” O’Brien said. 

O’Brien, who was invited today by Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald added that we are “nowhere near where we need to be” but she is now hopeful for the first time. 

“For the first time since my entire ordeal I feel hopeful that things can actually change… This is a new leaf,” she said. 

The Journal reported yesterday that there is now an audit of all current and concluded cases.

Speaking in the Dáil, the Taoiseach said he wants to meet with O’Brien, as does Justice Minister Helen McEntee.

Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald who met with O’Brien earlier today, said she feels “betrayed” and “so let down”.

The Sinn Féin leader said the experience and stories of women and girls not feeling safe and not being able to have confidence in the system has been constant.

‘Women have now had enough’

“Women are now again, making our message heard loud and clear, that enough is enough. Women have now had enough,” she said. 

Responding, Taoiseach Simon Harris said he is somewhat restricted in his commentary on the case, given the separation of powers with the judiciary.

However, he said:

“There is a very simple question that we must know the answer to – how many other people are in the Defence Forces today who have a criminal conviction?” 

He said the Chief of the Defence Forces is compiling a report on the matter, stating that it will provided today.

“Every single person in this country needs to know that those regulations are followed and that they’re applied. I also think there’s very serious issues in relation to the regulation of a liaison officer attending the court. You ask me, what needs to change? I think that seriously needs to be reviewed,” he added. 

McDonald said “we are not in a good place in this scenario”, adding:

“We know there’s at least one other case where somebody got a slap on the wrist and was sent on their way… we now need to see real leadership”. 

Harris said it should absolutely be called out for what it is:

It is an epidemic.

Responding to Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns, Harris said there is no one in the House who is anyway more “disgusted” than anyone else. 

“I’m not just a Taoiseach. I’m a father. A son. A husband. Everybody wants to live in a country with zero tolerance,” said Harris. 

Tanaiste and Minister for Defence Micheal Martin said earlier today that there are members of the Defence Forces “at all levels who were appalled at what has happened” following the case of an Irish soldier who viciously assaulted a woman.

He said a tribunal has begun this week into investigating allegations of bullying and harassment in the Defence Forces.

Martin encouraged those currently or formerly working within the Defence Forces who have information to engage with the tribunal.

He said: “I would urge everybody out there who has a contribution to make to come forward before the public inquiry, and to cooperate with the judge, because I think that could be a moment in time, when we can make sure that such practices don’t continue within the Defence Forces.”

He added: “The use of violence in the manner that was used in these cases is quite shocking, there is no excuse for it. And there has to be standards and values within the Defence Forces and people’s behaviour, whether one is in uniform or not most approximate to those values and the most fundamental of all is you do not behave in such a violent manner towards women, and more generally, in society and that’s the bottom line.”

With reporting from Jane Matthews