Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

——and one notes on the night that half of the people being honoured do not turn up. That says something, but it is not that these awards are unimportant. The people concerned are not available on the night for one reason or another and they ask other people to collect the award on their behalf.

Being recognised by a president of a country by a system set up by the political system is a different issue. It does not take from the republican values because it happens in other countries.

This issue has been raised by many people. I did not start this debate, which has been ongoing for a long time, and I am sure I will not finish it. It is a view of at least a considerable number of people that there should be a fitting system of recognising the abilities of inspirational people in an Irish context mainly and not international figures. We can have the discussion to examine if anyone can devise a system and if we can do it, so be it, and similarly if we cannot do it.

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