Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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16. To ask the Minister for Defence if there has been any change with regard to the provision of honour guards by Oglaigh na hEireann at religious ceremonies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35729/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Requests for participation by the Defence Forces in non-military events must be submitted to the Department for Defence for approval. Such requests are examined by the Department on a case by case basis and whilst there is no overarching prohibition or restriction on military involvement in religious events, this would not generally be seen as an appropriate role for the Defence Forces. There are of course exceptions to this such as, for example, Military involvement in State funerals and last year’s participation by the Defence Forces Chaplaincy Service in the International Eucharistic Congress.

However, as regards the provision of honour guards in a religious ceremony, the position is that it is no longer considered appropriate that the Defence Forces would provide such participation.