Eamonn Coghlan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

In the early 1920s, a system was introduced relating to the Order of St. Patrick but that came to an end when in 1928, the council decided that the order being now moribund should be allowed to completely disappear. Efforts were made by numerous people throughout the years to restore it. Éamon De Valera and Seán Lemass both considered reviving those awards, as did Brian Lenihan senior in the 1960s. Following the Belfast Agreement, the media reported suggestions that the order might be awarded jointly by the President and the British monarchy but nothing ever came of it.

Many attempts have been made to establish a national honours system but no conclusion has been reached and such a system has not progressed. I would like us to find a solution. The former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, wanted to award Pádraig Harrington a special honour when he won the British Open. I wonder why that win prompted him to bring up the matter again. The former Taoiseach also stated that it was unfair that an Irish person should go abroad to receive an award rather than receive one at home. We need cross-party co-operation on the matter. Attempts to introduce a national honours system failed in the past. It is time to get the right people around the table to discuss the matter. It is important to identify who will decide on the system and what committee we can form. Should the President, the House or the Council of State decide whether we will have an honours system? I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Paul Kehoe, for being present and I look forward to hearing his remarks. I congratulate Senator Quinn on introducing the Bill to the House today.