andMr. Creed asked the Minister for Defence if he will make arrangements to have the Army officially represented at the annual commemoration ceremony to honour the memory of the late General Michael Collins, at Béal na mBláth on Sunday, 23rd August.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Collins' Commemoration Ceremony.
80.
It is not proposed that the Army should be officially represented at the ceremony mentioned in the Deputy's question.
Shame.
As explained in reply to questions in previous years it is the policy, in order to avoid difficulties which would arise in selecting individual anniversaries in commemorating which the State might participate, that a special day, Easter Monday, should be set apart on which the State should celebrate the securing of Independence and honour all who took part in the struggle to achieve it. The only variation of this policy is the annual State Commemoration at Arbour Hill for those who died in 1916.
Is the Minister not personally ashamed, as a Corkman, that the first Commander in Chief is denied the presence of the Army at the annual commemoration?
This question arises year in, year out.
As one Corkman to another, would he not, as Minister for Defence, remember and honour the first Commander in Chief of the Army who also was a Corkman?
I can think of a lot of other good Corkmen, too——
This man was the first Commander in Chief of the Army. The Minister will admit that there has been some pressure from Army officers that the Army should be present at the commemoration?
That is a separate matter.
Is it not a fact that there was some change in attitude this year and that there was a question of setting up a committee of the House to see how matters like this should be handled? Surely it would be an earnest of a generous approach by the Government if they agreed to have the Army represented at this commemoration?
Was the Army ever represented at Béal na Bláth?
The answer is that it was.