Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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137. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if a War of Independence medal was issued in relation to a person (details supplied); if so, the person to whom was it issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4845/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The relevant military service pension files and associated medal records relating to the period from Easter Week 1916 to 30th September, 1923 are now part of the Military Service Pensions Collection. As part of the Government Centenary Commemoration programme, my Department is cataloguing and digitising the Military Service (1916-1923) Pension Collection so as to make it available on line. Considerable material in relation to the Collection has already been released on line, including the files relating to the person in question. The files are available for viewing on the website www.militaryarchives.ie.

An examination of these files and other documents shows no record of a medal having been sought or issued in this case. Posthumous medals may be awarded, in certain circumstances, subject to the Department having verified evidence of membership and activity. If the family wish to make contact with my Department in order to make a formal application for a posthumous medal, subject to the usual criteria, further advice can be provided by the relevant officials. Details of the award criteria for such medals and of how to make an application are available from Pensions Administration Section, Department of Defence, Áras an tSáile, Renmore, Galway, H91 AN2E (Tel. +353 (0)91 743900; e-mail: pensions.admin@defence.ie).