WHEN THE then Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, suggested the creation of a national honours scheme in the 1980s, there was little support for the idea.

Haughey, who had just returned from his encounter with a bald eagle on his Kerry island, Inisvickillaune, pointed out that Ireland was alone in failing to provide recognition for its citizens' achievements.

The biggest reaction came from a wag in the Dail who suggested the restoration of the OBE award the Order of the Bald Eagle.

In 1994, Albert Reynolds said he was "favourably disposed" to the idea, if all party agreement could be achieved. But the introduction of an honours systems was not a priority, be added.

Aside from honorary degrees, there is a range of prizes and awards in Ireland pence prizes, freedom of the cities, county person of the year, the People of the Year award, Aosdana but none has the spread and level of recognition or say, the British and French system of national awards.

The aversion to an awards system is consistent with our status as a Republic and is reinforced in the Constitution, Article 40.2 of which states "No title or honour may be accepted by any citizen except with the or of the This provision is little used, though it did surface briefly in 1986 when Bob Geldof was awarded an honorary knighthood. Before making the award, the British government consulted the government hereabout whether its permission was required for the award.

Dublin said no permission was needed.

In the 1920s, the Free State considered awarded its own version of the British Order of St Patrick, but this was blocked by Britain. In his time, Sean Lemass looked at the idea of an Order of the Holy Trinity, but this remained just an idea.

As a result, Irish people have continually received awards abroad such as Geldofs knighthood, and the Nobel prize wins of Sean MacBride and Seamus Heaney but get nothing from our own State apart from a telegram of congratulations.

In our desire for equality, we drag everyone down to the lowest level, by refusing to recognise merit and achievement. The parsimony of the State Ian this area could be motivated by a desire to avoid controversy or jealousy, but it is evident in the popular reaction to, say, the achievements of Jack Charlton or Seamus Henney, that ordinary people are abundantly proud of their heroes.

Surely it follows that the State, as the representative of the people, should convert this sentiment into a tangible recognition of distinction.

Of course, people may not trust the State to undertake this task.

"One concern that's frequently heard is that there could be a tendency to make political appointments," Garret FitzGerald says. "This, would instantly devalue the process."