Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

I take this opportunity to once again acknowledge the supreme sacrifice of the Air Corps personnel who so tragically lost their lives in the Tramore helicopter crash and to extend my renewed sympathy to their families, friends and also their colleagues in the Air Corps. We all recognise and appreciate the nature of the tragic loss occasioned by their deaths. I also fully understand that the question of acknowledging their service in a tangible lasting manner is of great personal importance to the families concerned.

The award of medals, including the Distinguished Service Medal, is governed by Defence Force Regulations, A9. The regulations set out the procedure for the award of medals, including that the award is made by the Minister on the recommendation of a military board appointed by the Chief of Staff. The recommendation must be made not later than four years after the performance of the act in respect of which the recommendation is made. I am advised by the military authorities that in spite of the tragic nature of this accident, it was not considered appropriate to initiate a recommendation for the award. Consideration of an amendment to the regulations to lengthen the timeframe within which a recommendation can be initiated does not therefore arise.

Recognition of the devotion to duty and loyal service to the Defence Forces of the personnel who lost their lives has been marked in a very fitting and personal way by their colleagues in the Air Corps, who commissioned and installed a special memorial window in the church at Casement Aerodrome, dedicated to the memory of the four Air Corps personnel killed in the accident at Tramore on 2 July 1999. A permanent memorial was also erected by the Air Corps to their memory at Finner Camp in Donegal, where the crew had been previously stationed.

Official recognition of this tragic loss of life was marked by my Department's close involvement with Tramore Town Commissioners and Waterford County Council who erected a memorial in honour of the memory of the four Air Corps personnel. My Department contributed £10,000 towards this memorial and also assisted the town commissioners in the organisation of a formal ceremony in Tramore on 4 September 2000 where the memorial was unveiled by President McAleese. This ceremony was attended by the families and colleagues of those who died along with the then Minister for Defence, Deputy Michael Smith, the then Chief of Staff and senior officers. This memorial and those in Baldonnel and Finner are a fitting public acknowledgement of the crew's devoted service to the State and to the esteem in which their service and sacrifice is held.

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