Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá brón orm nach bhfuil an tAire, an Teachta Coveney, anseo. I knew in advance that this was the type of answer I would get, that is, that there were two properly constituted medals boards convened by two chiefs of staff and that issuing the deserved medals may undermine the prestige of the medals or have unintended consequences. That is the same trash that is quoted continuously. Regarding unintended consequences, the authorities have had nearly 60 years to come up with a way to address them. Not so long ago, the Government and Houses of the Oireachtas found it to be within their ability to pardon deserters from the Defence Forces who joined the British Army during the Second World War. Surely it is not beyond us, therefore, to give due recognition to the bravest of the brave, as recommended by the late Commandant Pat Quinlan. How can the prestige of the medal be undermined by giving it to the very men for whom it was designed? It was designed after the incident. It should not be beyond the military authorities to accept that they made and make mistakes. It does not undermine their authority or command structure. It still allows for military discipline and comradeship. It should never be seen as a sign of weakness. In fact, it should be seen as a sign of strength to admit an error. Correcting the record is better than living a lie. I ask the Minister of State to announce that the medals will be issued soon before any more of the ageing men pass away without deserved recognition from the military authority, which should, in the first place, have saluted them when they returned to Ireland rather than turning their back on them.

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