Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Senator Craughwell's Bill and I welcome the Minister of State.I join others in congratulating him on the measures he is introducing in regard to the Jadotville survivors in terms of honour their service to the United Nations and to this country, which is belatedly but properly being recognised.

Other speakers have drawn attention to particular aspects of this Bill. One particular aspect of it that strikes me is the fact that it covers the Reserve Defence Force. I did a small amount of service in the former FCA. There are many people who made much bigger contributions to this State through FCA service and did extended service at a difficult time in our recent history. Volunteerism is very important to Irish society. I honour and respect the women and men who serve in the Reserve Defence Force. I believe it is a service we should collectively honour and respect and that we should give due credit to those people who for no personal gain put themselves in the service of this country and make themselves available to back up the Permanent Defence Force in carrying out its tasks and in creating the necessary infrastructure to enable it be a credible force and carry out its functions in different ways.

When I was Minister for Justice and Equality, the Garda Reserve was established. It was pushed through against considerable opposition at the time, which I take some pride in. My view was that in a time when there are people to serve their communities as reservist gardaí and where in many respects the links between local society and the gardaí who serve in localities is becoming very distant, it was important there should be this particular function of being able to volunteer to serve one's country. It is a matter of deep regret for me that so many reservists, some of whom have written to me, feel neglected, sidelined, unused and unappreciated. We live in turbulent times as regards policing but I hope that the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, will give whoever will be in charge in the future a very firm instruction to get on with the process of building up of the Garda Reserve. Mr. Conor Brady, former editor of the Garda reform group and The Irish Timesrecently stressed the necessity for this particular step to be taken.

On the Bill, there are people who are natural badge wearers and people who are not. There was a time when one could not come into this House unless one was wearing either a fáinne or a pioneer pin. One was not allowed into either House wearing anything else. Nowadays people come into this House bedecked in ribbons and all sorts of other things such that it causes one to wonder what is on the menu any given day or week. I believe that former members of the Defence Forces, be that full-time members or reservists, would appreciate the opportunity to wear a symbol, not only on formal occasions as proposed in the Bill but, as stated by Senator Nash, on other occasions too, just to show solidarity.

Before I was Minister for Justice and Equality I was Attorney General. My former military police company, the 6th Field Company of the Military Police, was amalgamated with the 2nd Field Company Military Police. They were in two different brigades which became the 26th Field Company. As Attorney General and law officer of the State I stretched things and made the decision that there was a connection between my office and the military police as exponents of military law for which the Attorney General had a limited function. We had a reception in Dublin Castle to honour the members of the aforementioned units before they were formally stood down. The point was made earlier, and I believe this is the case, that ex-members of the FCA, the Permanent Defence Force and the Reserve Defence Force only get together at commemorative masses for their deceased colleagues. The Defence Forces could do more for former and retired members.

That said, it occurs to me that Senator Craughwell's proposal is a good one. A little bit of pride in respect of having served in the colours of this State should be reflected in the capacity to wear a badge and to be recognised in the ordinary course of daily life as somebody who has done so. I echo all that has been said in this House about the financial difficulties of many members of the Defence Forces, including that many of them are dependent on family income supplement and so on. I also echo what has been said about some veterans, namely, the need to provide housing and to support voluntary organisations in that regard.

I was proud to attend the recent launch of the fuchsia badge at Lissadell House in the west of Ireland. There is immense goodwill towards the Defence Forces. The Minister of State and the Department of Defence should not underestimate the support among ordinary Irish men and women and the pride they take in and for the Defence Forces. They also should not underestimated that as an asset.

As I said earlier, I support the Bill although I accept Senator Nash's point that it needs to be tweaked a little. However, what is proposed in this Bill should not be a matter of ministerial discretion for a favoured few. It should be for everyone and the discretion should only come into play to prevent the badge from being abused or shamed. That is my view as to what should happen. I believe that it would be a great step forward if we were to adopt Senator Craughwell's proposal. I share the view that it may be possible to do this without legislation and I am absolutely sure that if Senator Craughwell had not brought forward a Bill and instead had contented himself with a resolution, we would not be giving this issue the same attention that it is getting here today. Again, I congratulate him on that account.