Tánaiste honours long serving Civil Defence volunteers at medal award ceremony in Trinity College Dublin

Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin TD, today presented long service medals to over 100 members of the Civil Defence from across the country.

The medals were awarded to members for their 30, 40, 50 and even 60 years of service in the Civil Defence during a ceremony in Trinity College Dublin.

The Tánaiste said:

“I am delighted to formally honour the long and distinguished years of service of these Civil Defence members. They have each dedicated so much of their lives to serving their communities in times of need.

“The Civil Defence plays an essential role in so many aspects of daily life, whether responding to search and rescue, flooding or other events. It is because of this vital role that the Government is committed to continuing its investment in the modernisation of the Civil Defence to ensure that this invaluable organisation continues to grow and carry out its crucial work.”

In all, there are 10 recipients receiving 60 year medals today; 1 each from Cavan, Limerick and Wicklow, 2 from Louth and 5 from Dublin. These volunteers joined in the 1960s, when recruits under the age of 18 were still allowed.

The recipients, from across the country, continue to contribute to the Civil Defence in a variety of ways. In addition to supporting the primary response agencies such as An Garda Síochána, the Fire Service and the HSE, Civil Defence also support their local communities through medical cover and other means for charity and other local events.

Last weekend Wicklow Civil Defence worked with An Garda Síochána, deploying 12 Volunteers and 5 SUVs over two days to rescue stranded motorists in the snow-covered Wicklow Mountains. In addition, Civil Defence Units are frequently mobilised in support of missing persons, with about 10 searches across the State in February alone.

Notes for editors:

Today’s event marks the first official long-service medal presentation for ceremony for Civil Defence since 2017.
There are 28 Civil Defence Units across the State, organised at local authority level, with policy and partial funding from the Department of Defence.
The Civil Defence primary role is to support the Principal Response Agencies, such as An Garda Síochána, the HSE and the Fire Service.
The Civil Defence continues to actively recruit to ensure it can meet its challenges. Details on joining your local unit can be found at https://civildefence.ie/join