John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would not, to be honest with Mr. Hamill, when it comes to local authorities. Both my grandfathers were in the old IRA. A few local authorities - Cork, Wexford, Tipperary - passed rules that ex-servicemen who came back from the front could not be employed by those authorities. I am not saying that opinion still exists. I think Mr. Hamill should be very careful about devolving money and responsibility to local authorities. The leadership should come from Mr. Hamill's Department and his officials, and it should be clinically, historically and brutally frank. It should not be left up to politicians to put their spin on things when it comes to this commemoration, because this is what is going to happen and it has been going on already.