Mary Ann O'Brien (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I pay tribute to Phil Farrington who, sadly, died on 3 May aged 94 years. He served in France and Germany and helped to liberate the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Earlier this week he died at a home for Second World War veterans in Dublin. If one remembers, the call to pardon such soldiers began in the Seanad when we spoke to the then Minister for Defence, Deputy Alan Shatter. Thank goodness the Government pardoned all these soldiers.

I remind Senators and put on record the fact that Phil Farrington and thousands of Irish soldiers were dismissed en masse from the Irish Army because they joined the British Army, in their view, to defend us, the Irish, from the greatest threat which was posed by the Nazis who wanted to take over the country, our lives and society. These people were blacklisted, branded deserters, denied social welfare and public sector jobs, and their wives and children were treated with disdain for their entire lives. Today, I pay tribute to this man who was one of the few remaining soldiers to survive. His grandson has recalled that the effect of being ostracised by the State still had an impact right up to Phil's death, which is very sad. Thank God, the soldiers were pardoned during our time in the Seanad.

I heard Senator Eamonn Coghlan's impassioned speech on the issue of obesity and his call for action. I have read the newspaper article which stated that Ireland is set to be the most obese country in Europe. Normally, cool and wonderful trends start on the west coast of America which take four to five years to reach England and then Ireland. My goodness, the obesity trend has rushed across the Atlantic and, boy, have we embraced it. I agree with what the Senator had to say on the matter. I do not know what Minister we need to bring in to the House for a debate. I suggest that the Department of Education and Skills puts healthy cooking on the school curriculum five days a week, as a matter of urgency.