Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

As I said, I am totally open on the matter. While we proposed a scheme which we had prepared within the Department based on discussions in 1998, I am not wedded to it. As regards a national award, I am inclined to think it should concern continuity of service. While some may differ, I am not hugely into honouring the person who scored a goal last week or won a competition because there are many awards for such persons. There should be a national award for distinguished service at home or abroad over a prolonged period. It should be for community-based individuals who have done a good job for the country but have never been in the limelight, rather than for those whose names are up in lights all the time. There are many such persons. Others say people who do that are not interested, but when they are asked by another administration, they are very interested but they would prefer to be recognised by their own Administration. They come forward because they know I will probably hear anyway or it will come through the system, even though it does not always. They are interested in recognition.

I am totally opposed to titles because that would create a constitutional issue and any scheme would have to comply with the Constitution. People are interested in recognition and not in the conferral of public awards, citations or titles. Previous schemes in this area tended to cover approximately 100 people and distinctions were made. These included exceptional service to mankind; outstanding achievement which confers international distinction on Ireland; conspicuous service to Ireland and to Irish people, which brings in the international scene, NGOs and others; and pre-eminent and inspirational contribution in any field of Irish life, usually but not necessarily of a national character, with particular emphasis on voluntary community service and service to persons in the community who are disadvantaged or marginalised but not restricted to those purposes.

I have no interest in trying to do this quickly or in pushing any particular scheme. There is a void in this regard, particularly in recognising outstanding people who are not generally well known and who may not want to be, but whose considerable achievement, effort and commitment is felt by others to deserve recognition. It should be kept to that area. The only way to do this is to ensure the scheme is open to everybody without distinction and there should be no classes. An advisory group should operate the scheme on behalf of the political system. The Government of the day, within the normal Constitution rules, should take its recommendation and make it to the President without change. If anybody thinks that is a load of nonsense and there is another way, I am as open to that.

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