Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Taoiseach to the House. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate him, and the team that he put around him, on the leadership that he has given on Brexit. It is a credit to him. I also wish to acknowledge the work done by our public servants. Both our ambassadors and officials abroad have done a tremendous job in supporting the Taoiseach with the policies that he has put forward on Brexit.

The Taoiseach is also the Minister for Defence and right now our Defence Forces are falling apart before his very eyes. This month, 166 officers, non-commissioned officers, NCOs, and men will leave the Defence Forces. They will leave because they cannot afford to stay. I appreciate that the pay commission is soon due to report but if remedial action is not taken urgently there will be no soldiers, airmen and sailors left to defend this country.

We are mean in this country in our outlook. We have a mean streak in us. The Department of Defence and the Defence Forces have denied for years that there were ever recommendations made for medals for Jadotville. The Taoiseach's Government took the step of creating An Bonn Jadotville for the survivors. However, over 100 medals were recommended for the Congo of which quite a number were DSMs, or distinguished service medals, for those who served in Jadotville and military medals, which is the equivalent of the Victoria Cross, for men who served in Jadotville. Those medals were never issued. Today, I ask the Taoiseach to initiate a revision of what happened to ensure that those gallant men are given the medals to which they are entitled.

Finally, I support my colleague's call for the opening of an embassy in Iran. It will serve 80 million people but there are 400 million in the region, which is an opportunity that should not be missed by Ireland.