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Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla Alamy
An honour
Britain did not inform government of three knighthoods, damehoods to Irish citizens this year
The constitution sets down rules on accepting titles of ‘nobility or of honour’.
1.03pm, 11 Dec 2023
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THE UK DID not ask the Irish government for permission to award honours to five Irish citizens, contrary to convention.
The constitution states that “no title of nobility or of honour may be accepted by any citizen except with the prior approval of the Government”.
However, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin has revealed that in the last 30 years, seven honours out of 19 were conferred without permission from the state. Five honours were from Britain and two were from Antigua and Barbuda.
“The standard practice is that the relevant accredited diplomatic mission would notify my Department in advance of the conferral of the award,” Martin said in response to a parliamentary question by Green Party TD Patrick Costello.
Titles of nobility or honours that require permission include anything with the prefixes ‘Sir’, ‘Dame’, ‘Lord’ or ‘Marquis’.
Any perks or responsibilities that come with the titles are only applicable in the country where they were conferred.
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In July of this year, Britain extended two knighthoods and one damehood to Irish citizens, before it was brought to the attention of the Irish government.
A damehood was also conferred last year without prior permission.
Another knighthood was granted in 2006 without approval.
In the cases of awards conferred by the UK, all recipients have been dual Irish-British citizens.
There is currently no way to retrospectively approve an honour that was already conferred without government permission.
There are no penalties for failing to get prior approval to confer or receive an honour or title.
However, Martin said that the Department of Foreign Affairs “regularly reminds the authorities of countries concerned that the prior approval of the Government should be sought”.
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@Ken Mc Carthy: Weird that you feel it matters at all whether people around you caught a disease here or in another country. When someone has one of the contagious diseases, the whole point is to see a doctor, get tested, get treatment and not pass it on! I could ask how many Irish people are spreading a disease to spouses, partners and children right now. Let’s contain the spread and be grateful that doctors can test and treat such conditions here & now. No one cares whether X caught Y on holiday or locally. The main thing is to go about it like an adult.
No, HIV definitely on the increase. We have increased rates in our indigenous population & also HIV positive people arriving from other countries who may not have been treated previously, as the drugs are very expensive.
@Gearoid MacEachaidh: It’s fierce! Then getting it back out of the zip is even worse, but it has to be done. Oh God, even thinking about it is giving me ptsd.
Have to be careful when you’re abroad,mixing with the locals. Never know when you’re safe. Have to be careful in Thailand,two girls come up and promise you a night like lottery jackpot! Could end up with 6 matching balls.
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