Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Senators who contributed to this discussion because it is an important matter. Any time we have had a debate on defence matters, the Minister has come into this House regularly. He takes his responsibilities with that portfolio very seriously, as he does with his responsibilities in foreign affairs. For that, we are grateful. Like colleagues, I look forward to those debates on those other very important defence issues.

I respectfully disagree with Senator Ó Donnghaile when he said this was the issue we chose to raise on Private Members’ business because, like other colleagues in all parties and none, we have all be raising Defence Forces issues. However, this is one that has rankled for a long time. Indeed, in the Minister’s address, he acknowledged the fact this has been raised by Members of the Oireachtas, Ministers, Deputies, Senators and political commentators. Most importantly, it has been raised by members of Óglaigh na hÉireann. Serving and former members get particularly annoyed at how the title of the Defence Forces is abused and misused and they want it to be protected.

When I started in the drafting of this legislation, I thought it was possibly going to be a bit easier than it turned out to be because we regularly protect other titles of professions and so on, and it is much easier to be able to do it. The word “university”, for instance, is a protected title. Given the historical nature of the title "Óglaigh na hÉireann", that presented quite a number of difficulties. As we worked through the legislation, I certainly found there were a number of challenges. I am very happy and it is appropriate that, on Committee State, we work in a collaborative way with the Minister, his officials and in a cross-party way to ensure we achieve the objectives of this Bill. I understand the time pressures that are on Parliamentary Counsel, but I would certainly hope that within the lifetime of this Oireachtas, we finally enact legislation that protects the title “Óglaigh na hÉireann”.

It is also not just about legislation. This is about that broader question around us all respecting the title and speaking it with respect. I reiterate the call to Sinn Féin and others to make sure the members of every political party in this House only use the title "Óglaigh na hÉireann" when referring to the Defence Forces.

The word that was most used during the course of this debate this evening was “respect”. The motivation behind this legislation is respect for those, including Members of both Houses and our family and friends, who have served within the Defence Forces. We have enormous respect for them. It is appropriate we would enact legislation that recognises and protects the title of the forces in which they serve.

I welcome the support of all political parties and none in this House for this Bill. I welcome the Minister’s commitment and contribution. I appreciate there is much work that will have to be done on Committee Stage. I ask that we would try to move on it as quickly as possible. I keep thinking it is a relatively simple area of work, but the more we look at it, it is quite complex. It is ultimately about achieving a very simple goal. If we can do that in the lifetime of this Oireachtas, we will be showing enormous respect to those men and women who have served in the past and continue to serve.