Athlone based Senator, Gabrielle McFadden, has urged Minister Paul Kehoe and the Department of Defence to ensure that medals for those who were involved in the Siege of Jadotville are presented as soon as possible.
Senator McFadden has consistently kept Jadotville on the agenda since becoming a member of the Oireachtas and, speaking in the Seanad, she again thanked the Minister for the decision to present the men with individual medals.
“It is long overdue and I’m very glad that it is happening,” she said.
Given how long the soldiers have had to wait already, and with their advancing years in mind, she called on the Department to rush the medals through.
“There’s a special day planned in Athlone in October where there will be a series of events to mark the Siege of Jadotville, including the unveiling of a plaque in the Civic Square, and it would be very appropriate if these medals could be presented that weekend," she commented.
“Senator McFadden added that there will be people travelling from Canada, the United States and Britain for the weekend in question, and she called on the Department to do all that they can to provide these medals so that the presentation ceremony can take place on the same weekend.
