asked the Minister for Defence if he considers that those Irish UN soldiers who died in the Niemba ambush should now be honoured in a more fitting way in remembrance of their courage and sacrifice in the line of duty.

3.

asked the Minister for Defence if the Government will now, on the 25th anniversary of the Niemba ambush, award Military Medals for Gallantry posthumously to the eight soldiers who to date have not been honoured in any way by the State.

45.

asked the Minister for Defence if it is his intention to approve special recognition for the Irish soldiers who lost their lives in Zaire, The Congo 25 years ago whilst on duty with the United Nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2,3 and 45 together. Defence Force regulations provide that awards of a Military Medal for Gallantry or a Distinguished Service Medal shall be made by the Minister for Defence on the recommendation of a military board appointed by the Chief of Staff for that purpose. There is no other power to make awards. While many cases are considered in accordance with the regulations, awards are made only in relatively few instances. The cases of the victims of the Niemba ambush, with the exception of Trooper Anthony Browne, were not found to come within the circumstances in which awards might be made.

Would the Minister agree that those soldiers who died in the Niemba ambush while carrying out their duty died in a very courageous manner and, if so, does he consider that there is any way in which he as Minister can ensure they will be honoured in a fitting manner? I accept what the Minister says about the Military Medal for Gallantry but is there any other way in which these men could be honoured fittingly?

Tributes have been paid to the victims of the Niemba ambush on the occasions of commemoration ceremonies and on the 25th anniversary of the tragedy. In those tributes we have recognised fittingly the courage and sacrifice of the unfortunate victims. The best memorial to those men is the certain knowlege to their families that the men are remembered with pride and affection by the Irish people.

It is precisely because the soldiers are remembered with pride and affection by the Irish people that this matter has been brought before the Dáil by way of a number of parliamentary questions. It is because the relatives of these soldiers consider that the men have not been honoured in a fitting way——

That is argument.

In these circumstances, will the Minister give consideration to some more fitting and lasting way of honouring the men?

The pride we all take from their gallantry is the most fitting memorial possible to those men and to the way in which their sacrifice can be commemorated. I do not have the power to strike medals for such instances but in any case striking a medal 25 years after the event would not pay tribute adequately to the soldiers who died.

Would the Minister agree that the performance of these men on that occasion set a standard for the Irish Army in the UN service?

For the Army.

Would the Minister agree that after 25 years it is time their contribution was recognised and that it is the view of their families and of the public that there should be a specific award to commemorate the men? Would the Minister be prepared to make that special award as a gesture to their service and to their memory?

Deputy Gregory asked a similar question and I answered it.

Would the Minister accept that the relations of the men are aggrieved by the reluctance to make this gesture? Even if the Minister has a point in the stance he is taking the fact that nothing is happening gives the impression that there is a problem of some kind.

I would not wish the House or the general public or, particularly, the relatives of the victims to consider that there is any less regard for the victims in respect of whom medals have not been awarded than there is for the victim in respect of whom a medal was awarded. Neither can it be implied that there was any less gallantry on the part of those victims. The regulations relating to the awarding of a military medal are very specific. It is for a board to make a recommendation to the Minister. That is the only way in which medals are awarded. At the time the board in question considered a number of recommendations and after a full investigation decided that in accordance with the regulations, and I wish to emphasise that, to make one award. That does not imply that there was any lack of gallantry on the part of the other victims. It was merely a question of there not being evidence before the board that would enable them to make awards in the other cases.

Would the Minister accept that the regulations do not appear to have served us well and that therefore he might consider altering them? There is no better time to do that than in relation to this issue.

The regulations provide for the awarding of a Military Medal for Gallantry or of a Distinguished Service Medal. It is prescribed specifically in those regulations as to how these awards are to be made. I can visualise practical difficulties in trying to devise criteria for the awarding of other medals. One practical, unfortunate and unwarranted effect would be the suggestion that somehow the other medals were not as meritorious or were somehow second-class compared with the medals awarded in accordance with the criteria specified in the regulations. That is one practical reason. The fact that a medal was awarded in respect of one victim only is not in any way a reflection on the courage of the other victims.

It was red tape.

That is not so. The reason is a very practical one and if the Deputy thought about it for a while he would appreciate that.

It was green tape, then.

Would the Minister not agree that those eight people who gave their lives in the name of peace while serving on behalf of this country should be commemorated by way of some special award and can he not as Minister see fit within his remit to ensure that there is a fitting memorial to these people?

I have answered that question twice already.

What is the Minister's personal opinion?

As I have said, the most fitting memorial to these men is the immense pride and affection with which the Irish people remember them.

That is writing it in water.