Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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166. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if there is a provision available to re-issue medals for persons who fought and were awarded medals in both conflicts and whose medals have been lost or mislaid due to the passage of time; if there is a list available of all who were awarded medals for service during the conflicts regardless of what side they fought on or gender; and if it is not possible to have medals re-issued is there some other way that service can be acknowledged by way of an official letter or parchment and can these be provided on request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1875/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Defence receives requests from time to time for the replacement of lost, stolen or destroyed medals awarded to Veterans of these conflicts.

In relation to such requests, it has been the policy that replacement medals were issued on a once-off only basis on receipt of a bona-fidé request from the Veteran to whom the original medals were awarded. This policy was adopted in the interest of preserving the intrinsic value of the medals and to strictly limit the number of medals issued in any particular case. Although all of the Veterans are now deceased, the rationale for restricting the issue of replacement medals is still valid. Apart from the intrinsic value of the medals, their monetary value on the open market is also a factor.

In 2006, the then Minister for Defence decided that, where 1916 Rising and War of Independence medals had been lost, stolen or destroyed, official certificates, in both Irish and English, would be issued in such cases confirming that the relevant medal(s) was/were awarded to the named Veteran.

The procedure in such cases is that the family can obtain an application form from the Pensions Administration Section of the Department of Defence in áras an tSáile, Renmore, Galway, H91 AN2E (telephone - 091 743899 or email – ).

Once the form is completed and returned to the Department, the details will be verified by the Department and, if in order, the relevant certificate/s will be issued (generally to the next of kin) on a once-off basis.

Any list of persons awarded medals is also be held by Pensions section.