Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 February 2014
168. Deputy Ann Phelan asked the Minister for Defence the reasons no service medal was struck for soldiers of the National Army who served during the Civil War period, 1922-24, and then discharged; if these soldiers are the only ones who have not received a service medal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8516/14]
View answerI have been advised by the Military authorities that no medals have ever been struck for personnel who had military service in the period 1921 to 1939, a period that includes service with the then National Army during the Civil War period of 1922-1924. Given the elapse of so many years, and the possible unreliability and incompleteness of contemporary records, the process of assessing eligibility for such a medal in individual cases for this period would be highly problematic.
Against this backdrop, the Military authorities have advised that they have no plans to review the position with regard to creating a service medal for the period of the Civil War. In doing so the Military authorities have, however, made it clear that this decision should not be interpreted as diminishing in any way whatsoever, the service rendered by and the admirable personal motivation of the individuals who served during this difficult period of the country’s history.
