Leo Varadkar and his Leinster House colleagues have been urged to honour the eight surviving Jadotville soldiers before they die.
The Taoiseach and his predecessor Enda Kenny have praised the brave Irish men who held off rebel forces for six days in the Congo in 1961.
Just 155 troops defeated 3,000 to 5,000 attackers at the mining base.
Eight are still alive and they have been formally nominated for medals by the Department of Defence’s top brass, but have yet to receive them.
The battle became the subject of an award-winning Netflix film starring Co Down actor Jamie Dornan in 2016.
Senator Gerard Craughwell said it would be “tragic” if the Government was to let the honour of these men “besmirched” without formally presenting them with their promised medals.
He fears they may not live long enough to eventually see them pinned to their lapels, given as it is nearly 70 years since the siege.
Mr Craughwell said: “Jadotville and the wider UN Congo mission remains unfinished business.
“For more than 50 years the bravery of our Defence Forces personnel has been hidden.
“There were many, 168 in all, who served in the Congo [Jadotville, Elizabethville, Niemba] who had been recommended for medals – Distinguished Service Medal and Military Medal for Gallantry, something that has been hidden ever since that mission ended.
“However, we now have the full list of names and I believe we should reopen this sorry case while there are still eight survivors.
“The treatment of these Congo veterans is up there on a par with the many abuse cases that were hidden in our sorry national history.
“More recently I learned of the heroic rescue of Sgt Maj John O’Connor who had been wounded in the Lebanon many years ago. The 20-year-old told an assembly at his retirement Stand Down of how under enemy fire Sgt Maj Dick O’Hanlon led a small team of men who disregarded their own personal safety to save O’Connor’s life.
“Was this heroic deed recognised? No it was not.
“There are other examples of gallantry that have gone unrecognised.
“Many who serve and have served find it difficult to understand how it is that many senior officers have been awarded the DSM for no reason other than coming back alive from an overseas mission alive. Respect as a nation we do not do well.
“The time has come for a full review of all records in the Department of Defence and in the Defence Forces to uncover all medal recommendations and establish why none were awarded.”
