asked the Minister for Defence if the Army will be taking part in Saint Patrick's Day parades this year.
17.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Parades.
16.
asked the Minister for Defence if the Army will be taking part in Easter parades this year.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 16 and 17 together.
Military participation in the St. Patrick's Day parades this year will be on the same scale as in 1974. As a corollary to the decision made by the Government in 1973 that St. Patrick's Day should be set aside as a day of national commemoration, there was no State participation in Easter ceremonies in 1974 and there will not be any such participation this year.
Why will there be no State participation at Easter to commemorate the Easter Rising? I do not believe that we should celebrate everything at every cross roads but Easter is a special occasion calling for commemoration by the State.
The decision of the Government was that we should set St. Patrick's Day aside as a day of national commemoration and to commemorate on that day all who died for Ireland. There are two different ways of doing it and the way I have outlined is the way the Government have decided on. In my view the setting aside of that day as a day of national commemoration was, in present times, a wise decision.
Would the Minister reconsider this decision because there is a growing feeling that the Easter commemoration should also have State involvement?
In my view the people of this country are very satisfied that we are setting aside one day as a day of national commemoration.
That is not acceptable to the people at all.