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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Nov 1984

Vol. 354 No. 4

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Participation in Remembrance Day Ceremonies.

6.

asked the Minister for Defence if, because of the growing unrest being caused within the Defence Forces and the concern and divisions being caused outside, he will make a statement indicating that there will be no participation by our Defence Forces in November's Remembrance Day Ceremonies.

There is no unrest in the Defence Forces about this matter.

The Defence Forces were not invited to participate in this year's Service of Remembrance and Dedication at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.

The Minister is living in cloud cuckoo land.

The unrest may have abated but there is no doubt that there was unrest no more than a month ago and that there was also unrest last year. Can the Minister assure the House that the Defence Forces will not be allowed to participate again in these ceremonies?

I cannot accept that there was unrest in the Defence Forces. The Deputy has already displayed on a number of occasions his lack of knowledge on anything pertaining to the Defence forces. He has no way of knowing whether there was unrest in the Defence Forces. There was no unrest in the Defence Forces on this matter.

The Minister would be the last to hear of it.

Nonsense.

Might I point out that the Minister's statement as regards my lack of knowledge is a matter of opinion and I leave others to judge that.

The Deputy may not make a statement.

Did the Minister think it fitting that our national flag should be relegated to a secondary position in a parade involving the Defence Forces? Is that the proper way to have Army participation? What is the Minister's attitude to this?

That is a separate question.

It is relevant.

I was present at the ceremony concerned and, in fairness to the organisers, our national flag was honoured in a place of preeminence both this year and last year. I do not know who is feeding the Deputy with inaccurate information.

I was not there last year nor this year. Can the Minister clarify if the Irish flag was carried by the Irish Army last year?

It was not. No national flags were carried by members of the Army who participated in the parade. A standard of the United Nations was carried in that parade. The Deputy's statement that he was not present is regrettable.

This is developing into argument.

Mr. Treacy

Can the Minister clarify if it is normal procedure for the Army to parade without national flags?

It happens regularly.

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