Latest News & Updates
12 May 2013:
Just Deserts - Sunday Times.
12 May 2013:
No Complexity To This Simple Act Of Decency - Article by John-Paul
McCarthy - Sunday Independent.
11 May 2013:
Irish Soldiers - Letter to the editor - The Times - London.
11 May
2013:
Denigrating Neutrality During Second World War Has Become Fashionable
- Article by Diarmaid Ferriter - Irish Times.
10 May 2013:
Have We Finally Figured Out Who The Real Traitors Were? - Article by
Gerry Gregg - The Herald - Dublin.
10 May 2013:
Its Refusal To Resist Hitler Still Shames Ireland - Article by Ben
Macintyre - The Times - London.
9 May 2013:
Irish Pardon Deserters Who Joined Britain In WW11 - Las Vegas Sun -
USA.
8 May 2013:
68th Anniversary of
VE Day -
Irish Deserters Finally Forgiven - Voice of Russia UK.
8 May 2013:
Bill Granting Pardon For Deserters Passed - Irish Times.
8 May 2013:
WWII Soldiers Pardoned By Ireland - Radio New Zealand.
8 May 2013:
Ireland Pardons World War II Deserters - ABC News Australia.
8 May 2013:
Families of WWII Deserters Won't Get Written Apologies - Irish
Independent.
8 May 2013:
Ireland Pardons WWII Soldiers Who Deserted - The Australian.
7 May 2013:
Ireland Pardoning Thousands Who Deserted Irish Army To Fight For Britain
In World War II - Washington Post - USA.
7 May 2013:
Ireland Pardoning Thousands Who Deserted Irish Army To Fight For Britain
In World War II - Canada.com.
7 May 2013:
Ireland Pardons Soldiers Who Deserted To Fight Nazis - AFP France.
7 May 2013:
Ireland pardons soldiers who deserted to fight Nazis - The Star
Africa.
7 May 2013:
Unionists Welcome Pardon For Irish Who Joined British Army To Fight
Nazis - The Guardian - UK.
7 May 2013:
Irish Soldiers To Be Pardoned For Joining British Army - Newsletter
- Belfast.
7 May 2013:
Vindication For Soldiers After A 70 Year Fight - Irish
Independent/Press Association.
7 May 2013:
Apology And Amnesty For World War II Soldiers Who Were Branded Deserters
- RTE News.
7 May 2013:
State Apoligises to Soldiers Who Fought Nazis
- Interview with John Stout Former Irish Guardsman
who had been in the Irish Defence Forces - RTE TV Primetime
7 May 2013:
I Was Told My Father Was A Traitor' for serving in WWII - Interview
Paddy Reid.
7 May 2013:
Irish World War II 'Deserters' To Be Given Pardons - BBC News.
7 May 2013:
WWII Irish 'Deserters' Finally Get Pardons by Chris Buckler - BBC
News.
7 May 2013:
A compilation of some TV News broadcasts reference the passing of the
Defence Forces (Amnesty and Immunity) Bill 2012. View Extracts on
7
May 2013:
Ireland Pardons Wartime Deserter ‘Heroes' - New York Times - USA.
7 May 2013:
Shatter Finally Brings In Amnesty For Deserters Who Fought the Nazis
- Irish Independent.
7 May 2013:
At 18.20hrs Dail Eireann unanimously passed the
Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Bill 2012
(Seanad).
The Bill will now be referred to the President of Ireland for his
signature, and will then be formally enacted into Irish law.
See
Closing Statement by Minister For Defence Mr Allan Shatter TD. View
Extract of debate on
7 May 2013:
BBC Radio Foyle item on the
Amnesty Legislation as part of their programme. Broadcast from 13.00hrs until
15.00hrs
7
May 2013:
BBC TV Breakfast early morning television news which is
on-air from 06.00hrs until 9.15hrs
daily - item on the Amnesty Legislation as part of the programme.
7
May 2013:
BBC Radio 4 Today item on the Amnesty
Legislation as part of the programme. Broadcast from 06.00hrs until 09.00hrs
6
May 2013:
Soldiers Pardon 'Helps Make Amends' - Belfast Telegraph.
6
May 2013:
BBC Radio 4 World At One interview with Paddy Reid.
View extract on
:
6
May 2013:
Soldiers Pardon Helps Make Amends - Press Association.
2
May 2013:
Duke Become First British Royal To Honour Martyrs of 1916 Rising -
Irish Independent.
1
May 2013:
Duke Honours Easter Rising Rebels - Press Association.
25 April 2013:
Pardon Expected For Irish Soldiers - The Herald - Scotland.
24 April 2013:
WW2 Irish soldiers 'Pardoned In Months' - British Forces News
Worldwide.
24 April 2013:
Pardon Expected For Deserters - Press Association.
24 April 2013:
Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Bill 2012
[Seanad] clears the committee stage and will now move back to the
Dail for the final stages.
View extract on
:
See also
Guide to Irish Legislative Process.
24 April 2013:
Committee Stage - Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity)
Bill 2012 - Justice, Defence and Equality Committee debate
Scheduled for Committee Room 2 (CR2, LH 2000) at 11.15hrs. Access
live broadcast
Here.
16 April
2013. The Dail Debate on the
Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Bill 2012
[Seanad] - Second Stage,
resumed
Schedule.
Bill now moves
to Committee stage.
Contributors to
the debate included;
Patrick O'Donovan TD,
Sean Kenny TD,
Simon Harris TD,
Mattie McGrath TD,
Ged Nash TD,
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD
and
Minister For Defence Allan Shatter TD.
View extract on
:
9 April
2013:
Nazi War Criminals Annual Report April 2013: The Simon Wiesenthal
Center has released the initial findings of its twelfth annual status
report on the worldwide investigation and prosecution of Nazi war
criminals. The report covers the period from April 1, 2012 thru March
31, 2013 and awards grades ranging from A (highest) to F, to evaluate
the efforts and results achieved by more than 36 countries which were
either the site of Nazi crimes or admitted Holocaust perpetrators after
World War II.
4 April
2013: Government Legislation -
Bills on Dáil Order Paper
-
Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Bill 2012
[Seanad] - Second Stage (to be
resumed) - Date to be confirmed.
3
April 2013: The death has
occurred on Saturday 23 March 2013, in County Cork, of Cornelius Murphy,
a former member of the Irish Defence Forces, who went AWOL during the
emergency, and who had served with the RAF in the middle east during the
second world war. Con who was Blacklisted by the Irish Government in
August 1945 pursuant to
Emergency Powers Order 362 of 1945,
was aware of the intention of Minister for Defence Mr Allan
Shatter TD, to initiate amnesty legislation to finally resolve the
desertion issue. The knowledge that Con was to be amnestied, was a
considerable measure of comfort to this elderly veteran in the twilight
years of his life, and an honourable conclusion for all concerned.
Following requiem mass,
Con was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, Charleville, County Cork, on
Wednesday 27 March 2013. "Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis".
Con Murphy RIP;
6 March
2013:
Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Bill 2012
- Dail Eireann Debate
2nd Stage.
Opening Statement by Minister of State at the
Department of Defence and Government Chief Whip,
Mr Paul Kehoe TD
-
View on
:
Debate adjourned, to be resumed; See also
contribution by Clare Daly TD -
View on
:
Note: Bills Enactment:
Where a Bill passes through all Stages in one House, it is automatically
set down for Second Stage in the other House. Once a Bill has been
passed by both Houses, the Taoiseach presents a vellum copy of the Bill,
prepared in the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas to the President
for signature and promulgation as a law. The signed text is then
enrolled for record in the Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court.
As a general rule, the President is required to sign a Bill presented to
him or her for signature not earlier than the fifth day or later than
the seventh day after it has been so presented (Art.25.2.1).
A Bill becomes law on the day it is signed by the President and, unless
the contrary intention appears, comes into operation on that day (Art.
25.4.1).
1
March 2013: Former
Irish Defence Force Personnel Killed in Action while serving with UK
forces 1944-45.
14 February 2013: Seanad Eireann
Debate
-
Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Bill 2012. Bill passed all stages.
Referred to the Dail Eireann/Irish Parliament for
consideration.
View Extract Seanad Debate on
:
20 December 2012:
Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Bill 2012.pdf
: Defence Forces (Second World War
Amnesty and Immunity) Bill 2012
Memorandum .pdf.
18
December 2012:
Amnesty/Pardons Legislation
Irish Government Announcement.
8
December 2012: Reference
Irish Government Statement
12 June 2012; Draft
Amnesty/Pardons Bill currently at an advanced stage.
