Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The more I hear of this, the less I like it or think it is necessary. First, as the Taoiseach accepted, a range of schemes is in place to acknowledge the service of people, including the People of the Year awards and awards such as honorary degrees and the freedom of a city. If a national honours scheme is introduced, will it undermine such awards, given that a recipient of a freedom of the city or a People of the Year award might feel it is not the real McCoy because he or she did not receive a national honours award?

Second, the Taoiseach put a great deal of emphasis on people being honoured by other jurisdictions who feel if they are honoured by another state, they should be honoured by this State. That is a good reason not to do this. For example, a number of people could receive MBEs and pressure would then be on the advisory group to honour them because they received an MBE across the water. If the belief is that because many people receive awards in other states, we should honour them as well, that is an argument not to do this because there will be pressure to honour them.

A third issue is the backlog that would arise under such a system. Presumably if the process of an honours system is commenced, many people would be on the list to be honoured. There might be a gradual process of honouring people in years ahead but initially the names of a pile of people will be stacked up to be honoured, for many of whom perhaps, to put it kindly, time is running out. The pressure will be on to award them the honour in time.

I am not convinced that such an initiative is a good idea. I am willing to hear what the Taoiseach has to say and to examine whatever detailed proposals he has on it. However, this is an area where the Government should leave well enough alone.

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