Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin has called "false" an accusation by the Women of Honour group that he sought to equate rape and sexual assault in the Defence Forces with "trips, slips and falls".
"The assertion that it is an equation is false and is a distortion," he said.
The Tánaiste was responding to the group's request for the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act to be included in the Terms of Reference of the Tribunal of Inquiry that is investigating systemic failures in the Defence Forces' complaints system.
Mr Martin said he was concerned that such an inclusion would make the terms of references very broad, and could conceivably include "trips, slips and falls" that may have occurred in the workplace.
The Women of Honour group, which has highlighted allegations of abuse in the Defence Forces over several decades, has said it is outraged by the remark.
Speaking in Beijing, where he is on a four-day trip to China, Mr Martin said the Government was saying "the opposite to what's being alleged".
"The terms of reference specify sexual assault in particular, and abuse, and what are very serious issues. Of course, one doesn't equate them with trips and falls," he said.
The Tánaiste said he used the phrase out of concern that the process could drag on for a decade if they establish an inquiry that is too wide-ranging.
"The objective is that we don't broaden out to such an extent that this could go on for a decade. And I think that was made clear in discussion," he said.
"The phrase 'trips and falls' was not just in the letter. This was actually [used] in a meeting, was discussed as well. And there was no issue at the meeting when it was explained as to why."
He added: "The Attorney General's advice is such that if you put in every single act, you're essentially saying the Tribunal can cover every aspect that's covered by that act."
