Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister here today. We must recognise the heroic nature of this unit and Commandant Pat Quinlan, who kept his team alive. We have the barracks in Athlone and many families in Roscommon and Galway have served with distinction in the Army. We have generations of families whose lives are intertwined with the Defence Forces. As Senators, including Senator Carrigy, have mentioned, the An Bonn Jadotville medal was awarded at a special ceremony in Athlone and it is considered the spiritual home of A Company.

The importance of the peacekeeping role of Irish soldiers since 1955 is a key reason Ireland has been so successful in winning the observer role we now have in the UN. The Army, in helping healthcare services through this Covid-19 pandemic, is again proving crucial in how it has come to help our country in a time of need.

What is the timeline for the independent group to give recommendations, particularly for the eight living heroes and veterans of A Company? It is time, as a country, for us to look at the definition and qualities of leadership. What do we consider as leadership? I acknowledge the bravery and honour of the soldiers who endured shame when they returned to Ireland. Will the Government consider Commandant Quinlan's recommendation of the 30 members for medals? For the soldiers of Ireland and their families, it is time to recognise the bravery of A Company in Jadotville and our failure in the 1960s to the veterans of this battle.