Ahern Renews Call For Irish Honors System

"We should have a way, a national way, of honouring not just stars, but people who make an enormous contribution to Irish life" he told guests at a reception for golfer Padraig Harrington in Dublin.

"The fact is we don't have that," he continued.

According to a spokesman for the Taoiseach. Mr Ahern has "long been an advocate" of an Irish honors system, even going so far as to consider introducing legislation in 1997, but the plans were shelved after he failed to secure an all-party agreement.

Although the spokesman insisted that there were no plans to introduce legislation in this session of the Dáil, the issue could be raised again in the next.

Any system of honors for Ireland would most likely be modelled on those of France or other republics.

The Taoiseach also paid tribute to Harrington, who last week became the first Irishman to win the Open since 1947 saying that he "admired the brilliant, yet calm and calculating, way you played."

"It truly was a privilege to watch you rise to the occasion in the climax to one of the finest British Opens in history."