A veteran of the Niemba massacre in Congo in 1960 is planning to protest outside the Dáil next week at the decision not to award him a medal for his services.
Joseph Fitzpatrick was aged 18 when the 11-man group of Irish soldiers on UN peacekeeping duty he was part of was ambushed at Niemba. Eight soldiers were killed after being set upon by members of the Baluba tribe. Another died later.
Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea decided not to award Mr Fitzpatrick and another survivor, Thomas Kenny, medals, but has promised they will receive appropriate public recognition, most likely at a review of troops at the end of April.
Mr Fitzpatrick yesterday said the decision not to award a medal and open an independent inquiry into the ambush was an "insult". He said he would be outside the Dáil in uniform on Monday, despite the fact that he is on crutches after suffering a dislocated knee in a fall two weeks ago.
A report into the circumstances of the ambush by Col Tom Behan last year urged that "official recognition and acknowledgment" should be given to Mr Fitzpatrick and Mr Kenny.
However, Col Behan did "not recommend the award of medals to the two men".
This report followed the publication of a book on the ambush by the historian David O'Donoghue that questioned the official version of events. The Niemba massacre remains the worst atrocity ever suffered by Irish peacekeeping forces. Trooper Anthony Browne was awarded a medal for gallantry in 1961 and in 1998 the other eight victims were posthumously decorated.