Dr Tom Clonan’s Whistle-Blower Journey Ends with Reconciliation Process
TU Dublin academic, Dr Tom Clonan, recently ended a twenty-year impasse with the Irish Defence Forces, which began when his PhD research into the status and roles of women soldiers began to reveal stark and negative gender division of labour within the organisation.
Dr Clonan found that female soldiers performed ‘feminine’ work – often tasks such as waitressing in officer’s messes – and were denied the command and operational appointments required for promotion. After reporting his initial findings to DCU’s postgraduate research committee, the Registrar advised Tom to meet with the Defence Forces’ Chief of Staff to inform him of the emerging findings and obtain a ‘letter of comfort’ to proceed with the research.
In June 1998, Lieutenant General Gerry Mac Mahon granted his request in writing, receiving permission from unit commanders to interviewed 43 female soldiers here and a control sample of 17 in the Middle East - Total of 60. 5 9 out of the 60 reported some form of Bullying, Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault up to and including rape. After graduating in December 2000, he lodged the doctoral thesis, as directed by the Chief of Staff, to the DCU library.
Up until then, Dr Clonan was a valued member of the Defence Forces with roles at the very heart of the organisation, but was rebuffed and verbally abused when he communicated his findings to his superiors. He was a ‘rat’ and threatened with a ‘dirty tricks’ campaign, with a mentor telling him ‘if the organisation cannot go for the ball, they’ll go for the man’, because ‘character assassination’ is a legitimate tactic ‘when the reputation of the organisation is at stake’.
At this point, as planned, Tom retired from the Defence Forces to pursue an academic career but made repeated attempts to persuade the general staff to act on his findings. In summer 2001, Irish media gave the research saturation coverage. Still, the Defence Forces stated in dozens of media interviews that he had ‘concealed’ the research and carried it out ‘covertly’, that he had ‘fabricated’ the research process, ‘falsifying’ the findings.
Fearing that his academic career could be in jeopardy, he showed journalists his letters of permission from the Chief of Staff, proving that the Defence Forces initially supported the research. One listener to a radio interview with RTÉ was then-Minister for Defence Michael Smith TD. Minster Smith rang Tom, mobile what needed to be done and he asked for a full, independent enquiry into his research.
The ‘Study Review Group’ was launched with Dr Eileen Doyle at the helm, an experienced, highly-respected academic which fully vindicated the findings and recommendations of my research. To its credit, the military authorities fully implemented the Study Review Group’s recommendations and profoundly transformed the Defence Forces’ culture regarding workplace equality, diversity and dignity. However, Dr Clonan’s relationship with the Defences Forces remained broken, and his contribution to the change in the organisation’s culture was left unacknowledged.
In June of this year, however, he received an unexpected, welcome invitation from the current Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, to discuss what had passed between himself and the Defence Forces. Following these meetings, on Thursday, 28 November, 30 years after joining the army, Vice Admiral Mellett met Tom at the Military College in the Curragh Camp. For the first time, The Defence Forces acknowledged the critical contribution Dr Clonan’s PhD made to the Transformation of Ireland’s Armed Forces with regard to Equality, Diversity & Dignity in the Workplace. After 20 years, the Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, thanked Dr Clonan for this groundbreaking research.
Commenting on a day he thought he might never see, Dr Clonan, said “Unusually for Ireland, this whistleblowing story has a happy ending. It would not have been possible without the support of DCU and the Defence Forces. I am grateful to Professor Brian MacCraith, President of DCU, for his personal support. I am indebted to Vice Admiral Mellett for his courage in facilitating this reconciliation and profound moment of healing and learning.”
Continuing, he said, “Most of all, I am especially grateful to my female colleagues who spoke so powerfully and eloquently in my research. To this day, I remain awed by their integrity, courage and resilience as Irish women and soldiers serving our country in the most difficult of circumstances.”
Dr Tom Clonan is a former Captain in the Irish armed forces. He is a security analyst and academic, lecturing in the School of Media in TU Dublin.
Dr Tom Clonan, Captain (Retired) with Professor Brian MacCraith, President of DCU