Vincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. His presence is a sign of how seriously this matter is being taken. It is a good day for the Upper House, Seanad Éireann, that we can come up with an initiative such as this, ventilate our views and have such a constructive, positive debate, shining a light on this in a way that might not always be open to the Lower House. It is fitting that we acknowledge the courageous efforts of A Company, 35th Infantry Battalion, and it is only right that the House acknowledges the valiant defence of Jadotville in September 1961. I am sure my colleagues in the House will also join me in thanking them but also the thousands of members of the Defence Forces and the Garda Síochána who have served this country and the United Nations with honour since 1958. During this debate, I think especially of those Defence Force personnel and their Garda colleagues, who also have seen service abroad, who have died overseas in the cause of international peace and security. We should not let the debate pass without remembering the members of An Garda Síochána and Óglaigh na hÉireann who have given their lives at home for the people to have a safer place.

This week also marks the 60th anniversary of a tragic incident, referred to by the Minister, involving the men of another A Company.On 8 November 1960, an 11-man patrol from A Company of the 33rd Infantry Battalion departed its base at Niemba under the command of Lieutenant Kevin Gleeson. Unfortunately, Lieutenant Gleeson and eight brave souls never came home. They perished after being attacked without warning by a large number of Baluba tribesmen. These deaths were the first operational casualties suffered by the Defence Forces since the Civil War and make up the highest death toll from a single action suffered by the Defence Forces in the cause of world peace. That ambush brought home immediately to this country the harsh realities and challenges facing our peacekeepers when we choose to send them abroad. In total, 26 members of the Defence Forces would die while serving in the Congo.

I mention the Niemba ambush during today's discussion because I would like to acknowledge that the actions of Jadotville were neither the first nor the last episodes of exceptional bravery and gallantry by our soldiers, sailors and air crew. They are, however, a very important exemplar of the fine traditions of loyal, selfless service we have come to associate with Óglaigh na hÉireann. While the siege of Jadotville and the sustained assaults they suffered from air and the ground are widely known and, as Senator Wall noted, documented in "The Siege of Jadotville" movie on Netflix, it is often forgotten that these men not only faced the horrors of the battlefield for those five heated days, they also endured more than a month of gruelling captivity, a captivity they could not be sure they would come through alive, and after being released faced another military engagement prior to returning home.

Many more served again in the Congo, Cyprus, on the Border of the island of Ireland and, of course, in Lebanon. These men are the personification of the finest ideals of our foreign policy and the national spirit. It is due to their actions and the actions of their colleagues that this country is held in the highest esteem around the globe, particularly in the UN General Assembly. As we take our seat on the UN Security Council in 2021, let us remember that the blood, sweat and tears of our Jadotville veterans and many others form the tangible bedrock of our continued commitment to the founding ideals of the UN. During their service and in their retirement, these men have demonstrated their commitment to the Defence Forces' values of respect, loyalty, selflessness and physical and moral courage, and it is time that we in this House gave them the respect and loyalty they are due by supporting this motion.

To paraphrase Leo Quinlan, son of Commandant Pat Quinlan, speaking in 2019 on the tragic legacy of Jadotville, he said that every battle has to be fought twice, first on the field and second with historians. I think we can all agree that a third unfortunate battle between the State and the survivors needs to end with the recognition that these men deserve. I welcome what the Minister of Defence said today and call on him to do all in his power to ensure that the medal recommendations made by Colonel Pat Quinlan - he was a commandant at the time but retired a colonel and has now passed away - are reviewed by a competent military board, which I am sure this external expert board will do. While I am aware that the military board sat in 1965 and considered some of Colonel Quinlan's recommendations, we must acknowledge that official attitudes, culture and biases at the time may have significantly hampered the work of that board.

As Senator McGahon said, many of these soldiers were mere teenagers, but regardless of their age, all of their lives were changed irreparably by their service in the Congo. In addition to the physical scars, many of these men brought home a significant number of unseen scars for the remainder of their lives. These traumas were undoubtedly exacerbated by the lack of recognition of their deeds at the time and their shameful abandonment in retirement. Men may not have died on the battlefields of Katanga that week, but let us be under no illusion that men changed irreparably and for the worse as a result of that siege. Lacking proper recognition during service and care and support during retirement, many of these heroes turned to alcohol, which is documented in published reports, while others tragically ended up taking their own lives according to a piece published in The Irish Times. This is what we are dealing with here. They were changed forever through serving for peace.

Military medals are highly valued and regarded as representing all that is best in the field of human endeavour. Medals in themselves cannot be a starting point or finishing line when it comes to the State engaging with its faithful servants. All members of the Defence Forces swear an oath of fidelity to Ireland and loyalty to the Constitution. They commit to serving the State and the cause of international peace and security at any time or place in the world. They take on the responsibility willingly and this commitment cannot be one sided. This places a reciprocal onus on us to support them. In putting the needs of the nation, the Defence Forces and others before their own, they expect to be treated fairly by the State and the support of society and all of Government. I, along with two of my colleagues here from south Kildare, am a public representative from Kildare, which has such a fine military tradition. It is not just about Kildare; this is an Irish issue. It is felt so strongly in Kildare. In Waterford, Councillor Jody Power from the Green Party tabled a motion to support and promote recognition. I know many other county councils would join with us. I welcome the fact that the Minister is advancing matters today. Of course, there are boundaries. There is only so much the Minister can do but he has done as much as he can on this occasion. We really look forward to this being moved on swiftly.