Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. It is an honour to second what has been said by Senator Quinn.

On Monday, in Dublin Castle, the President presented 47 Gaisce awards to young people like those who are visiting us this afternoon and are seated in the Visitors Gallery. They are very welcome. The Gaisce scheme applies to people aged up to 25 years. The recipients of the awards have performed 10,000 hours in which they helped communities, developed skills and achieved personal goals. This year is the 30th anniversary of the scheme.

There are other awards such as the All Star awards and the Tidy Towns competition. All of these schemes celebrate success, effort, community and commitment. For example, various counties and associations host person of the year events, Aosdána honours artists, Comhairle na Mire Gaile acknowledges acts of bravery, the Scott Medal is awarded to members of the Garda Síochána for distinguished behaviour and, as mentioned, the Gaisce awards are for people aged under 25 years. We have an honorary Irish citizenship list which includes people like Alfred Chester Beatty, Tiede Herrema, Tip O'Neill, Alfred Beit, Jack Charlton, Jean Kennedy Smith, Derek Hill and Don Keough. We are mature enough to have an honours system. As that list of distinguished people shows, an honours system will recognise merit, contributions to this society and demonstrate how much we value community efforts.

In the past there have been fears that an honours system would, in some way, hanker after a colonial era - which we do not - or it would be liable to be influenced by party politics, jobbery or some kind of consideration. We already have a distinguished record in granting awards. As an Irish phrase says, Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí. Bhuel, mol an duine meánaosta agus mol na seandaoine freisin. We should reward people for service to this community which has worked very well in the areas that I have mentioned, such as honorary degrees and active citizenship awards.

In 1998, the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution said that the honours system issue had been raised "in a desultory manner by governments since 1930". Various people have mentioned, along the line, that a system has always been pending. Michael Finucane suggested that there should be an Irish honours system when Christina Noble received an award from Prince Charles. A number of Irish people have received British awards such as Daniel O'Donnell, Niall Quinn, Pierce Brosnan, Pat Eddery and Orla Guerin. Can we be as optimistic, happy and generous towards people who have been generous towards us and leave behind fears of cronyism or post-colonialism?

This society is comprised of many splendid people. I am sure, with all-party agreement in this House, that we will put a scheme together. Look at the various distinguished Presidents who have run the Gaisce awards in conjunction with the Duke of Edinburgh. For those who have a different tradition on the island, we can extend that. President Hillery started it off and he was followed by Presidents Robinson and McAleese. I am sure that President Higgins will continue the tradition if this House, on an all-party basis, supports Senator Quinn's motion to establish an honours system. The idea has been around for a long while. Let us reward the distinguished service that is given on a voluntary basis in this society. This Bill must be commended and I am honoured to be the seconder.