Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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9. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the status of his engagements with groups representing retired Defence Forces members regarding the awarding of commemorative 1916 medals; if he will reconsider the decision not to award the medals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35876/18]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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As I advised the Deputy in my reply to PQ21815/18 on 17th May 2018, there are no plans to award the 1916 Centenary Commemorative Medal to former members of the Defence Forces.  Since the foundation of the State many thousands of personnel have served in the Defence Forces.  It would not be administratively possible within the resources of the Department to identify and contact all of these persons, decide on eligibility and, in the case of infirm or deceased former members, resolve who should get the medal on their behalf.

I outlined in my reply on 17th May 2018, the engagements my Department and I have had with the Veterans Associations (the Irish United Nations Veterans Association (IUNVA), the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel (ONE), and the Association of Retired Commissioned Officers (ARCO)).  Discussions took place to explore alternative means of recognition of the contribution of veterans to the centenary commemorative events in 2016. 

Following these discussions, it was agreed that a single presentation would be made to each of the Veterans Associations of a framed medal with an accompanying citation in recognition of the significant contribution of members of the three organisations to the 1916 centenary commemorative events and their service to the State. The medal has a bar with the term Veteran inscribed on it.  I agreed that a plaque would be given to each of IUNVA’s 21 Posts and to each of O.N.E.’s 41 Branches.  I presented one plaque to each of the three Veterans’ Associations at last year's Defence Forces’ Veterans’ Day which took place in the Defence Forces Training Centre, the Curragh, on Sunday 8th October 2017. The other plaques were presented separately.