Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important not to draw conclusions here as to what the motivations were back in the 1960s with regard to these medals. It is important that we put in place a review body that is genuinely independent and that has military and academic expertise on it so it is considered in the full context of the questions being asked today.

We had a very good discussion on this during the Seanad debate last week. Every political party accepts that decisions on medals should not be made by politicians. Those decisions should be made by an appropriate process that ensures we protect the value of the receipt of medals. I believe everybody agrees with that, and I hope the process we have put in place now will allow for an appropriate review and for us to be able to take the appropriate action on the back of that. We will see where that leads. I certainly look forward to doing anything I can to assist that process.

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