Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I acknowledge that the Taoiseach has written to the party leaders about this matter and that I have indicated to him that I will respond when my parliamentary party has considered it. I would like to elicit further information from him about what he has in mind. We live in a republic, the basis of which is that every citizen is equal. Is an honours system a good idea in principle, given that the implication of such a system is that the status of some citizens — those who would receive honours — would somehow be greater than that of other citizens? How will we square an honours system with the strong opposition the founders of the State had to it, for the reasons outlined? How will we square it with the intent, if not the letter, of the Constitution, which explicitly states that titles of nobility shall not be conferred by the State? I appreciate the Taoiseach is not talking about introducing titles of nobility, but the intent of the Constitution was, in keeping with the thinking of the founders of the State, that honours and elevated status for some citizens was not a republican ideal.

See this speech in context