Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I second the motion proposed by my colleague, Senator Higgins. Legislation is flying through this place at the moment, with all Stages being taken in one sitting and so on. She is 100% correct in what she has said.

I join the Cathaoirleach in complimenting the Irish Defence Forces but I will qualify what I am saying. Words of respect for the Defence Forces in this House and the other House are shallow when we look at the way our Defence Forces have been treated. I refer in particular - and I know I have the Cathaoirleach's support on this - to the men of Jadotville. Thirty-one of them were nominated for distinguished service medals or military medals for gallantry. Any other country would be lining up to dish out those medals. The men would have a parade on the equivalent of Dublin's O'Connell Street and have the entire country looking at them. What did we do? We hid them away. We called them cowards and would not allow their names to be mentioned. I want to mention John Gorman, the man who drove this for years on his own. Leo Quinlan, the son of Pat Quinlan, also drove it. If we are talking about the most loyal citizens of the State, we have to treat them as loyal citizens. When they are nominated for an award for gallantry, we should think about what it took to be nominated for that award. Very few companies of 155 personnel have come under sustained fire from 3,000 people with all 155 coming home alive. We really have to move on this. I am pleased with the soundings from the Department of Defence, from both the new Secretary General and the Minister.I will briefly address the matter of ministerial advisers, which is on the agenda now. It is time we had a debate on this issue in this House. Who are these people? We have the most loyal civil servants in this country, who will always give the best advice they can to Ministers. If we are going to have ministerial advisers, they should be brought before a committee of the Oireachtas and be made to explain what additional skills they are bringing to their posts. They are political advisers, and if there is a desire for such advisers, let the political parties pay for them.