asked the Taoiseach whether, before the Estimates for the coming financial year are completed, he will communicate with organisations which use the word "Royal" in their names or descriptions, and particularly with those which are in receipt of grants from the Exchequer as set out in the Book of Estimates for the present financial year, with a view to securing their consent to eliminating the word "Royal" from their names or their descriptions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Use of title “Royal”.
The survival from the past of such relics of former conditions as the word "Royal" in the names of certain organisations, while anomalous, is not, in present circumstances, of any—other than historical —significance. The organisations concerned may take, of their own volition, such steps as may be open to them to change their names, but I do not propose to put any pressure on them to do so or to communicate with them in the sense suggested by the Deputy.
Is the Taoiseach not aware that there is a certain amount of resentment in the country that organisations drawing money from the public purse should continue with this description? Is he not aware that he himself is in a particularly strong position to request them to drop this word "Royal" from their description; that it cannot be held that there is anything political in that; that there is no Party in this country at the moment which stands for having a King in the Park; and that even the Irish Times itself has dropped the court circular and the royal coat of arms from its court and personal column, and that, after all, it can be argued that what is good enough for the Taoiseach is good enough for these organisations?
Is the Taoiseach aware that the retention of this objectionable anachronism is motivated in many instances by a desire on the part of those responsible to parade their hostility to the aspirations of the majority of the people? Will the Taoiseach not make it plain to these people that they will not be permitted to "cock a snook" at the people while at the same time expecting to be subsidised by them?
The view I take of this word "Royal" is that it marks merely the historic evolution of our own country and that the fact of its being there emphasises and underlines the progress which has been made. If Deputies will look around any countries in the world they will see statues and monuments of past history left there as an indication of the historic progress which has been made in these countries. It is in that sense that I regard the use of this word "Royal" by these people. It is a matter of no consequence so far as I am concerned; it is of no importance and not worth wasting time over. I am not aware of any of the organisations referred to by Deputy Lehane which are trying to parade that word. In many instances the word "Royal" derives from a patent and is implicit in the patent and might be difficult to change. My attitude towards it is that it is merely an historic underlining and emphasising of the progress which has been made.
The people of the country would agree so far as statues are concerned that they merely mark the milestones in the road of Irish history, but is he not aware that at least one of these organisations has not the word "Royal" in its patent; that it assumed that particular word and grafted it on without any legal basis; and that it is so much opposed to republicianism or independence here that it refused even to take a grant of land on the condition that it would reassume its proper legal title?
I am not aware of the organisation to which the Deputy refers.
Would the Taoiseach inquire into the matter?
I will not.
The Deputy is only stunting.