Minister Kehoe commissions 1916 commemorative medals for Civil Defence

25 January 2017

The year just past marked the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising. This was a seminal moment in the history of the Irish State. There were many events held across the country to commemorate the centenary.

In honour of the role played by Civil Defence volunteers throughout the country during the year, and the ongoing supports provided to their local communities and the frontline emergency services, Mr. Paul Kehoe TD, Minister with Responsibility for Defence has commissioned a specially designed medal to be presented to members of Civil Defence. The medals will be awarded to all members of Civil Defence who were in active service with Civil Defence during the year between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2016.

The Minister said “Civil Defence volunteers give freely of their time to support State agencies and local communities in times of need. The work they do is unpaid but it certainly does not go unnoticed.  The awarding of this medal is a small token of appreciation for the level of service provided by the volunteers.”

The Minister went on to say “the work of Civil Defence members benefits society at large, it reaches into every community alleviating the hardship of others such as in times of flooding or in searches for missing persons.  I am very pleased to have the opportunity to acknowledge the commitment and dedication of those who served in Civil Defence throughout 2016.”

Arrangements for the presentation of the medals will be made in due course

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