Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Crowe for raising the matter and I am here to represent the Minister for Defence, Deputy Coveney, who, unfortunately, cannot attend.

I acknowledge the service given by current and former members of the Defence Forces who have devoted their time to serving our country and thank them for it. I hope to provide some clarity on the protocols for military funerals and where it is customary for the national flag to be presented to the next of kin of deceased former members of the Defence Forces' personnel.

I am advised by the military authorities that the national flag, which drapes the coffin of a person who has died in service, is to be presented to the next of kin at the time of place of burial or cremation. However, it is not customary for the national flag to be presented to the next of kin of former members of the Defence Forces' personnel at the time and place of burial or cremation.

Administrative instruction A10 sets out the relevant protocols for military funerals and certain procedures around the presentation of the national flag to the next of kin of deceased former Defence Forces' personnel. That administrative instruction states:

It is not the custom for the national flag to be presented to the next of kin of ex-service personnel. In certain circumstances, where the next of kin of an ex-service personnel requests to be presented with the national flag draping the coffin, the General Officer commanding the Brigade, the Defence Forces Training Centre, the Air Corps, or the Flag Officer commanding the Naval Service may accede to such a request.

As set out in the administrative instruction, the national flag may be presented to the next of kin of ex-service members of the Defence Forces on the basis of various criteria such as their length of service and retirement with a satisfactory record. This administrative instruction also delineates the procedures for military participation at a funeral. The administrative instruction A10 states:

Where the family of a retired member of the Permanent Defence Force has requested a Military Funeral and where the exigencies of the service permit, the General Officer Commanding the Brigade , the Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Service or the General Officer Commanding the Air Corps may authorise military participation at the funeral of a retired member of the Permanent Defence Force who is not entitled to receive a full military funeral under the provisions of paragraph 5 of the Defence Forces Regulation A10. The deceased must have had a minimum of twenty years service and retired with a satisfactory record.

Although the administrative instruction A10 states "where the next of kin of an ex-service personnel requests to be presented with the national flag draping the coffin, the General Officer commanding the Brigade, the Defence Forces Training Centre, the Air Corps, or the Flag Officer commanding the Naval Service may accede to such a request", it is not the standard practice to present the family of the deceased with a national flag at that place of burial or cremation. At present, there are no plans to change the procedures referred to in administrative instruction A10.

In conclusion, I again acknowledge the service given by current and former members of the Defence Forces who have devoted so much time to serving the country. It is something that I know we are all immensely proud of.