Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

My officials and I will keep in close contact with the Deputy on those issues as well. I thank him for his words of tribute to members of the Defence Forces. I am very conscious that, this week, men and women who have served in the 125th battalion in Lebanon are beginning to return home. I was in Renmore Barracks, where the 126th battalion is getting ready to be deployed to Lebanon. I met very excited soldiers, and sometimes nervous mothers, grannies, wives, husbands and children worried about their relative being away from the family. The sacrifices that the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann and military families make is something we should rightly pay tribute to and acknowledge. The Civil Defence in the Deputy's own community, my community and across the country makes an incredible contribution. On its 75th anniversary, Deputy Devlin is so right to rise and pay tribute to it today, and I join him in that.

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