Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

I agree it should not be an exclusively or even predominantly military occasion. That was the case for the 90th anniversary but we were reviving the celebration after it had lapsed for a number of years due to events in Northern Ireland and so on. I am strongly of that view, as was the previous Oireachtas consultation group, and I am sure the same view will be reflected by the new group.

We are appointing an expert committee to come up with ideas. It will be specifically tasked to develop ideas on how we should commemorate our social, economic and cultural progress. It will be a wide-ranging commemoration and while a military parade will be a part of it, it will not be central or predominant.

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