asked the Minister for Defence the number of medals that have been issued since 1st January, 1966 to members of the Old IRA with 1916 and other service to their country in 1917-1921.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Old IRA Service Medals.
51.
Since the 1st January, 1966, 131 Medals—1916 and 1917-1921 —have been issued, as well as 901 1916 Survivors' Medals. In addition, 113 replacements and miniatures have been issued during the period.
Could the Minister repeat the number of medals that were issued on foot of applications submitted since, say, Christmas? Further, is it a fact that some of those people made the application for the first time after Christmas and that medals were sent out to them?
I have already given the number of applications in the Estimate speech from which I quote: "Deputies may be interested to know that my Department received more than 200 applications in the first three months of this year."
Can the Minister say what investigations took place in connection with these applications? According as he got an application for a medal was it posted out? The Minister must be aware that on many occasions applicants for 1917-21 service medals have had to wait 18 months before a decision was given. Can he say what machinery he had in his Department which was responsible for expediting the issue of these medals?
I have given the number of applications which have come in since 1st January as 200, and the Deputy is altering the basis of the question he put down here. In his supplementary questions he is confining the matter to medals issued on foot of applications that came in recently and the numbers that were issued to meet those recent applications. I have already explained the system of medal investigation on several occasions here in the House and that system has to be followed. In some cases it takes a long time to investigate the entitlement of a person to a 1916 medal, a medal with bar or one without bar. I have not readily at my disposal definite answers to the supplementary questions regarding specific numbers which the Deputy put to me.
The Minister must be aware that certain people were awarded 1916 medals who were only in the senior classes at school at the time. That is a great mystery to me.
I am not aware of the fact, but I am aware, in reply to what the Deputy has said, that a young man of 16½ years of age in Fianna Éireann was shot dead in service in St. Stephen's Green in 1916.
I am sorry to hear that.
Would the Minister give the number of medals as a result of new applications?
Yes, we are getting in new applications continually. Which ones is the Deputy talking about?
The 200.
The lot of them.
Survivors' Medals numbering 901 were issued to persons already in receipt of a 1916 medal. These went out without any application being made for them in most cases. From the 1st January, 1966, 131 medals were issued in response to applications. These 131 medals comprised 1916 medals and 1917-21 medals.
May I express the hope that if any of those have occasion to apply for the special allowance—I hope they will not—they will not be reinvestigated and the medals taken back?
Can the Minister give a guarantee?
Yes; these have been issued under the new system of investigation.