asked the Minister for Defence if he will state why members of the Army were not permitted to render appropriate military honours to the memory of the late General Michael Collins and the late President Arthur Griffith at ceremonies held for this purpose last August at Dublin, and Béal-na-Bláth.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Collins-Griffith Commemoration Ceremonies.
Members of the Army were not prevented from attending the ceremonies mentioned as private individuals.
In order to avoid the difficulties involved in selecting individual anniversaries in commemorating which the State might participate, a special day, Easter Sunday, has been set apart on which the State celebrates the securing of independence and honours all who took part in the struggle to achieve it. This is, of course, apart from the annual State commemoration at Arbour Hill for those who died in 1916.
In those circumstances, the Army did not officially take part in the ceremonies referred to by the Deputy.
Is the Minister aware there was only one founder of the National Army and that in this instance it has been regarded by the people as a damnable thing for the Government to withdraw the National Army——
That is a separate question.
And furthermore, is the Minister aware that the Taoiseach furnished a reply extending over one and a half pages during which the name of General Collins was not mentioned? What devious means did the Taoiseach adopt in framing that masterpiece?
Would the Deputy read the reply?
The Minister stated the had no objection to members of the armed forces attending the ceremonies. Would the Minister have given an undertaking to members of the Army that they had general leave to attend?
That has been the position all the time. There is no objection to members of the armed forces attending as private citizens.
That is not the question I asked. Did you issue leave permits to them?
They do not have to get them. I got no requests from anybody for leave permits.
In fact, up to 100 officers attended in spite of you.
They did not have to ask for leave. I do not know how many attended.