asked the Minister for Defence whether he has received a recent communication from the L.D.F. Old Comrades' Association, regarding his decision not to issue a ribbon to members of the L.D.F. similar to that issued to the Army and to members of the 26th Battalion; and, if so, if he will state the date on which it was received and the nature of the reply.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ribbon for L.D.F. Men.
Yes. I received a letter dated the 22nd May from the L.D.F. Old Comrades' Association. I have since answered the question raised in that letter publicly in An Dáil on the 25th May and privately to deputations on various occasions.
Am I not correct in saying that on that occasion the Minister said that the distinction in awarding this ribbon was between paid and unpaid service? Would the Minister explain what is the difference between the 26th Battalion and the unpaid L.D.F.?
Broadly, that is one distinction, paid and unpaid. If the Deputy wants to get into further distinctions, another broad distinction would be attesting and non-attesting.
Would the Minister consider meeting representatives of the association to discuss this matter again?
The Minister met representatives of the associations on very many occasions and on each occasion the deputations who met me left perfectly pleased and contented, and there would not be another moment of anxiety in anybody's mind if the questions disappeared off the Order Paper.
Did the representatives of the Local Defence Force Old Comrades' Association, who met the Minister, not notify him on the 22nd or 23rd May that under no circumstances could the executive be satisfied with the decision of the Minister?
Would the Minister indicate to the House when and by whom the decision not to issue this ribbon was taken?
Regarding the first supplementary: when I met the joint deputation of members of most of these organisations of ex-servicemen, they were, apparently, perfectly satisfied with the explanation given. In one letter on the 22nd May, the writer expressed himself as being dissatisfied. Those are both facts. The number of applications had increased very considerably. The number of medals up to date is approximately 22,000. The question of changing the ribbon— because the medal in all cases is identical — at this stage is entirely impracticable. After all a medal and/or a ribbon is a gesture of the Government's and the nation's appreciation of services rendered, and the breadth of a white bar or the breadth of a red bar does not take from the gesture of appreciation.