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THE DEFENCE MINISTER claims she will need new legislation to recognise chaplains as members of the military despite two of them winning awards for their service and bravery.
This week The Journal revealed that Fr Paul Murphy and three soldiers based in Galway are to receive the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) for their bravery during a terror attack outside a military barracks in Galway. The priest and the troops will receive their award in a ceremony in February.
On 15 August 2024, as he drove back into Dún Uí Mhaoilíosa Barracks in Galway, a radicalised teenage boy stabbed Murphy. Armed young soldiers on the gate subdued the boy, saving the priest’s life.
According to the Irish Defence Forces website a DSM can “be awarded to officers, non-commissioned officers and privates of the Defence Forces and to members of the Army Nursing and Chaplaincy Services”.
It adds that the medal is awarded for actions “arising out of, or associated with, service in the Defence Forces”.
Fr Murphy is the second military chaplain to receive a DSM. Fr Edward Dunne was awarded the medal for his care of a wounded comrade in Lebanon in 1978.
There has been a recent campaign by the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (RACO) for Chaplains to be given the status of serving members of the Defence Forces.
RACO said that chaplains are without representation despite working for, and being paid by the Department of Defence.
When questioned this week in regard to the status of chaplains Helen McEntee, the Minister for Defence, said that she was due to meet RACO to discuss the issue next week.
“The situation at the moment really is that the chaplains are recommended for service. They’re put forward by either their bishops or by their superior colleagues, and it is based on defence law from a number of decades ago that they can’t join.
“If you were to change it, it would be a change in legislation. So there’s been a bit of work done to see how would this work,” she said while on a trip to Egypt.
The meeting will take place between RACO and the Minister next week and she said that she will discuss with them the need for legislation.
“It’s something that we’d have to kind of consider, but I’d only do it working with the unions, but also with the chaplains and with the people working in the Defence Forces,” she added.
In a statement RACO said it would discuss the issue with the Minister next week.
“If legislative change is required so they can be considered members of the Defence Forces, despite already wearing uniform, deploying overseas and receiving Distinguished Service Medals, then let’s get it done.
“We have been formally asking to represent and look after the service conditions of our Chaplains for over a year since October 2024 so what is the Department waiting for? Instead of problems why not propose solutions?
“There is absolutely no requirement for changes to primary legislation for RACO to represent Chaplains and look after them – this is simply a change in a Defence Force regulation that the Minister herself can easily implement, if she so wishes,” the statement said.
RACO’s statement referenced comments by Tánaiste Simon Harris in October who said that chaplains should not be treated any differently from other members of the military.
“It is long past time that we match our words with deeds, and afford our DF chaplains the same representative rights, entitlements, benefits and protections afforded to all other members of Óglaigh na hÉireann,” the statement added.
With reporting from Eimer McAuley in Jordan.
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