asked the Taoiseach if, in view of the magnificient bequest of Sir Alfred and Lady Beit to the National Gallery, he will now agree to the need for an Irish honours system in order to enable Ireland, like almost every other country in the developed world, east and west, to recognise and signal service and contribution to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

As indicated previously in this House, the matter of an honours system is not under consideration.

I would like to take this opportunity of assuring the Dáil that the Government greatly appreciate the magnificent bequest of Sir Alfred and Lady Beit to the nation. Their generosity will long be remembered by the Irish people.

Is the Taoiseach aware whether Ireland is an exception in Europe in not having at least some form of honours system and will he agree that there are countries which have republican constitutions which can also contain within such constitution an honours system that is consistent with it?

Yes, I would not see the difficulty lying in the constitutional area. I think most of us would like to see some type or form of honours list but, as you know, any attempts in the past have run into difficulties of a nature which had nothing to do with the Constitution.

Would the Taoiseach care to elaborate?

Can I take it that the Taoiseach is in favour in principle of some form of system which would allow the State to recognise the type of singular contribution that Sir Alfred and Lady Beit have made to the State?

Yes. I think it is well known that I would be in favour of such a system but so far we have never succeeded in getting any agreement or unanimity about it.

What efforts have been made in recent years to reach agreement? I am certainly not conscious of any effort having been made in the past decade since I came into this House. Could the Taoiseach enlighten us on the attempts that have been made to reach agreement?

A number of attempts were made but perhaps they never took the form of concrete efforts. The matter has been thought about and adverted to on a number of occasions, but I think the Deputy will agree that unless there was unanimity there would be no point in proceeding with the matter. I find it difficult to envisage unanimity, at the present time at any rate.

Would the Taoiseach be prepared to consult with the other party leaders with a view to seeing if such unanimity could be reached?

If the Deputy would press me very strongly — with no great enthusiasm, or rather optimism, I would undertake such a process.

The Taoiseach is enthusiastic but not optimistic.

I think it is something missing in our general structure and I think most of us would like to see something put in place if it could be put in place, but unless there was practically unanimous agreement about it, it would not be worth trying.

The Taoiseach should be encouraged in his efforts, provided he does not propose that we have an order of the Bald Eagle.

A Cheann Comhairle, there you are; I now completely withdraw my offer.

In view of the measure of agreement that has been reached between the Government and the main Opposition party, and that already exists between Fine Gael and the Government party on many other issues, surely they could reach agreement on this as well.

I am sure the Deputy will be very encouraged to know that on many of the basic areas of social and economic progress the Labour Party agree with what we are trying to do.

I have had a number of questions of this nature addressed to various Taoisigh over the past number of years. Does the Taoiseach not agree that many Irish people have achieved great distinction in many fields, sporting, cultural, business and otherwise over the past number of years which in other countries would have merited a role of honour or some other distinction? Does the Taoiseach not agree that in this country we should have some means of according an honour to people who distinguish themselves in those areas?

I would, of course. I think I have already indicated that but, as the Deputy will have seen already in the House this afternoon, we Irish I am afraid have a very highly developed sense of the ridiculous and we would have to make a very strenuous effort to overcome that.

I apologise to the Taoiseach for my levity.