Teacher:In this task, you are given a text of many news articles seperated by special token "|||||". Your task is to summarize them.
Teacher: Now, understand the problem? Solve this instance: DUBLIN | 
  
 DUBLIN (Reuters) - The Irish government on Tuesday pardoned thousands of servicemen who deserted to fight for the Allied forces during World War Two after the Irish state decided to remain neutral in the war against Adolf Hitler's Germany. 
  
 Ireland maintained its neutrality throughout the war, saying any other course would have threatened its independence, secured from Britain in 1921, and President Eamon DeValera signed a book of condolences on the death of Hitler in 1945. 
  
 About 60,000 people from the Irish state fought in the British Forces during the war, including some 7,000 servicemen who deserted from the Irish armed forces. 
  
 The Irish government summarily dismissed all of those who deserted and disqualified them from state employment for seven years. Relatives say the deserters were stigmatized for decades. 
  
 "The government apologizes for the manner in which those members of the defense forces who left to fight on the Allied side during World War Two were treated after the war by the state," Minister for Justice and Defense Alan Shatter said in an address to parliament. 
  
 "In the almost 73 years since the outbreak of World War II, our understanding of history has matured," he said. "It is time for understanding and forgiveness." 
  
 Some former Irish officers have objected to the decision, saying pardoning deserters, whatever the circumstances, undermines the Irish armed forces. 
  
 But relatives, who have campaigned for years for a pardon, welcomed the move. 
  
 "It's not going to change the history, but it will remove the stigma," said Peter Mulvany, who led the campaign for the soldiers, in comments to state broadcaster RTE. 
  
 Ireland's relations with historic foe Britain are at their warmest for decades. The pardon comes year after a visit by Queen Elizabeth to Ireland, the first by the British sovereign since independence. 
  
 (Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Roger Atwood) ||||| He said the Government recognises the value and importance of their military contribution to the Allied victory. 
  
 Minister for Defence Alan Shatter has told the Dáil that the Government apologises for the manner in which the deserters were treated by the State after the war. 
  
 The Government is to pardon over 4,500 former soldiers who deserted the Defence Forces during World War II to fight with the Allied Forces. 
  
 Up to 4,500 soldiers fled from the Defence Forces during the Second World War and did not return to their Irish units. 
  
 Many of them joined the British Army. 
  
 After the war, the De Valera Government published a list of those who deserted. 
  
 Anyone who was mentioned in this book was banned from getting a public service job at any level. 
  
 It is estimated that about 100 of the deserters are still alive. 
  
 This evening's pardon is a great relief for those who died and their families removing the stigma that they have carried for nearly 70 years. 
  
 It is also viewed as another step in the improvement of relations between Ireland and Britain. 
  
 However, a small number of former Defence Force officers have criticised the pardons. |||||
Student:
Ireland remained neutral during World War II, but about 4,500 of its soldiers didn't: They left the Irish army and joined the Allied forces fighting Hitler. For that, the government branded them deserters, published their names, and forbade them from holding public sector jobs when the war ended. Today, about 70 years later, the government issued a formal apology and pardoned them, reports RTE. It figures about 100 are still alive to enjoy it. "The government apologizes for the manner in which those members of the defense forces who left to fight on the Allied side during World War Two were treated after the war by the state," the defense minister told parliament, according to Reuters. "In the almost 73 years since the outbreak of World War II, our understanding of history has matured. It is time for understanding and forgiveness." About 60,000 other Irish men also joined the Allies, but they weren't in the Irish army first and so weren't labeled deserters.