Kildare Opinion: Why the Defences Forces deserve a medal for their work during pandemic

Recognition: ‘Daniel S’ is an ex-Defence Forces member from County Kildare who believes that the Irish troops should be formally recognised for their role during the Covid-19 pandemic

As an ex-member of the Defence Forces, I strongly believe that a medal should be issued for the Defence Forces’ Covid-19 response: Operation Fortitude.

From regular media coverage, most of the country is aware of the trojan work conducted by members of the Defence Forces in aiding the HSE with everything from contact tracing, to escorting PPE, to running test centres, among countless other duties.

I have been pressing the Minister for Defence for a number of months now over this matter, and as of early January I now have the official backing of the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence for my proposal.

During a Dáil speech on November 18 last year, Minister for Defence Coveney stated:

“The priority of the Defence Forces joint task force from the beginning has been to provide support to the HSE, while retaining at all times a contingent capacity to provide aid to the civil power support.

“Since March 2020, Defence Forces personnel have provided significant supports in response to the Covid-19 crisis, with in excess of 112,000 personnel days assistance being deployed and more than 22,700 instances of Defence Forces vehicles being utilised, in the deployment of an extensive range of supports from the Defence Forces.”

Given the acknowledgement that the Minister has made about the significant contribution of the Defence Forces, it makes me wonder why he is so reluctant to honour them as they rightly deserve?

It’s not as if this is without precedence. Spain, Bahrain, Austria and France are issuing medals, with Germany and the UK looking extremely likely to. Even here at home the frontline crews in the National Ambulance Service received medals, and maternity nurses in Munster have begun receiving medals also.

With all this precedent, why is Minister Coveney so reluctant to rightly recognise the Defence Forces? With the current publicity surrounding the neglect of the Defence Forces, surely he should be looking for ways to show that he actually values our soldiers, sailors and airmen?

It is time for Minister Coveney to take heed of his own words and show that he genuinely values our forces.

I suggest that the best way he can immediately show that is the prompt issuing of a medal. He has read my proposal and is well aware of it.

This, together with the official backing of an Oireachtas committee should now compel him to act.

'Daniel S',

February 4, 2022

BELOW: Proposed ribbon design for the medal by Daniel S