Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The issue of a State honours system has been discussed many times in the past but there has never been all-party support to sustain its development. Such support would be required if consideration of an honours system were to proceed.

While I would have no objections to all-party consideration of this matter, the timing of any such consideration would, of course, have to take cognisance of other political priorities at this time.

For the information of Deputy Keating, I remember that I, as a junior Minister many years ago, implemented the concept of the Gaisce awards, which are the presidential awards for young people. Personally, I do not favour the conferral of formal titles on people. Deputy Keating will be aware that the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has introduced a new recognition system for Irish people of the diaspora for outstanding contributions and it might be worth having a discussion about this in that context.

Personally, I do not want to see a situation where there are lords, and titles and all of that conferred by the State. As there are the People of the Year awards, the Entrepreneur of the Year awards and other systems, perhaps it might be appropriate if all of the Members were to agree on some form of recognition, be it by an award of the Uachtarántach, as an expansion, if you like, of the Gaisce awards, but I would not want to proceed on that road unless there was all-party consensus.

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