Remind me again: What is the triple lock?
The triple lock is a legal provision which requires that before more than 12 Irish troops are deployed abroad, three tests must be satisfied; there must be a decision of the Government, a vote of the Dáil and United Nations backing. While it dates back to 1960, it was only in 2001 that the phrase entered public use in the context of defence policy.
It was used to reassure the public that the Nice treaty would not compel Ireland to take part in EU military adventures overseas.
Since the Government naturally commands a majority in the Dáil, the UN authority is the point at issue and it is this test that the legislation before the Dáil this week proposes to remove.
Why is the Government trying to change it?
Taoiseach Micheál Martin argues that the “world has changed” and that Irish policy must change to reflect that. The stalemate on the UN Security Council means that it has not authorised a new peacekeeping mission since 2014 and there is no sign of that changing anytime soon.
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Effectively, the Government argues, the triple lock affords a veto to the members of the council on any Irish peacekeeping deployment overseas.
This is best illustrated by the expiration of the mandate for the Unifil mission in Lebanon, where Irish troops have served since the early 1980s, later this year. This means that Irish involvement in Lebanon will cease under the current rules.
Campaigners opposed to its removal say that a UN General Assembly vote could replace a security council resolution, but in practice this has never happened.
[ Triple lock neutrality row fuels fractious Dáil exchangesOpens in new window ]
What does the Opposition say?
It has quite a bit to say on the issue. It says that the triple lock is central to Irish neutrality and that removing it will fundamentally alter the nature of a policy that has been a foundation for Irish foreign policy and which has the overwhelming backing of the public.
It says that the public is opposed to the move (which polls bear out) and that the Government should put the question to the public in a referendum. It warns that Irish troops could be used for all sorts of foreign military adventures.
[ Government may face battle to remove triple lock as voters align with OppositionOpens in new window ]
Is the triple lock really that important to neutrality?
Well, Martin previously thought so – he said it was “at the core of our neutrality”, something of which pro-neutrality campaigners are fond of reminding him. However, it is true that in the past neutrality has tended to mean whatever the government of the day said it meant.
And one of the ironies of the current argument is that the people who previously said that the triple lock was central to neutrality now say it’s not, and the people who previously said it was meaningless for our neutrality now say it is essential.
The truth is that the world will not take a great deal of notice what Ireland does, though the Government would be able to point at the move to its EU partners, who believe that Ireland is a complete freeloader on defence.
Doesn’t the Government have the numbers in the Dáil to get its way?
Well, the Government has a majority for sure. There is some unease about it on the Fianna Fáil benches, and TDs who might want to undermine Martin have an opportunity to do so, though whether they are prepared to lose the whip is doubtful.
Much to the Opposition’s displease, there will be only 3½ hours for debate on Wednesday. If passed, the Bill will then move to committee stage. If the Taoiseach gets his way, it will pass through the Oireachtas before Christmas.
