The Government has won a Dáil vote on legislation to remove the triple lock, a change that would end the need for UN approval before Irish troops can be sent on peacekeeping missions.
The Defence (Amendment) Bill passed second stage by 79 votes to 71 following a fractious debate.
Minister for Defence Helen McEntee told the Dáil that it was “absolutely crazy” that five countries, the permanent members of the UN Security Council, have a say in where Ireland sends its military personnel.
She was speaking as she introduced the debate on the divisive Bill. The triple lock requires UN approval (from the US, UK, France, Russia and China), as well as Oireachtas and Government support, before 12 or more members of the Defence Forces can be sent overseas with an armed international force or body.
READ MORE
McEntee said the changes contained in the proposed legislation were “necessary if we want to ensure that as a sovereign country, we have the independence and the ability to make our own decisions about where we deploy our troops”.
The Opposition, united against the move, accused the Government of betraying the public and reacted angrily to a guillotining of the introductory second stage debate to under four hours. Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman said it was not a minor technical amendment but removed a core plank that shaped Irish defence policy for decades.
“Whatever your view we can all agree that legislation of this magnitude warrants careful examination,” he said.
The Minister said the changes were necessary “if we want Ireland to continue being a force for good in the world”. She added: “No other country in the world has this mechanism. No other country in the world allows another country or a superpower to decide for them.”
But Independent Ireland TD Michael Fitzmaurice said Ireland was relying on others for defence and could not operate its own naval vessels in Cork because of a lack of personnel.
“And then we talk about ourselves as if we’re going to be the messiah that’s going to keep peace around the world.”
He also suggested other forces might be at play. He asked “who’s calling the shots. I’d love to know what’s the endgame in all of this. Who’s promised what?”
[ The triple lock: What is it and why is the Government trying to change it?Opens in new window ]
An almost four-hour debate that began quietly became tetchy and fractious as TDs interrupted speakers and Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy warned hecklers they could watch the debate in their offices.
Earlier, at Leaders’ Questions, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald called on the Taoiseach to “let the people vote on this because anything else is a profound betrayal”.
She accused the Government of “staggering” dishonesty and warned “the consequences of the legislation, if passed, cannot be underestimated”.
McDonald said “the Government is tearing away current vital safeguards” and “clearing the way for this Government and future governments to send Irish troops into military operations without a UN mandate”.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the Government’s “only motivation here is to retain the capacity to participate in peacekeeping” and “in no way does it undermine Irish military neutrality”.
He said “our reform of the triple lock is fundamentally about keeping alive the Irish tradition of peacekeeping and, indeed, keeping alive our capacity to have an independent foreign policy”.
There were repeated reminders it was the Taoiseach who had previously said the triple lock was “at the heart of Ireland’s neutrality”.
[ Triple lock neutrality row fuels fractious Dáil exchangesOpens in new window ]
Social Democrats defence spokeswoman Sinéad Gibney referred to “a schism” in Fianna Fáil, as some members expressed opposition in internal debates. Some “are seeing through the Government spin and recognise this is an absolute nail in the coffin of Irish neutrality”, she said.
Her party colleague Pádraig Rice pointed to Fine Gael members who “openly talk about wanting to join Nato”. He said “that is the direction of travel” and warned the Government would regret the change.
Some Fianna Fáil TDs spoke in favour of the change. Dún Laoghaire TD Cormac Devlin said “nothing in this Bill changes Ireland’s traditional position of military neutrality. Ireland does not join a military alliance” and “any change would require a referendum”.
The Government won the vote by 79 votes to 71, one of the closest in recent months. There were no Fianna Fáil objectors and Independents Gillian Toole and Michael Lowry backed the Bill against a united Opposition.
