Sligo-Leitrim TDs give their stance as Dáil poised for ‘divisive’ triple lock vote 

Last week, Government ministers decided to push ahead with the Defence Amendment Bill, which would scrap Ireland’s triple lock, meaning in future only the Dáil and Oireachtas approval would be needed to commission missions.

The Bill will be extensive debating before going to a vote in the Dáil, with wide opposition to the proposed move from non-government TDs.

Sligo-Leitrim’s four TDs were asked by the Observer where they are leaning on this topic right now.

Fianna Fáil’s, Deputy Eamonn Scanlon has said he doesn’t know what way he will go on it at the moment but stresses that he will not vote against his party's position, which will be solidified in the coming weeks. 

“There is very little being said about it at the moment. I know the opposition are bringing it up, have mentioned it in recent weeks in the Dáil, but there is nothing concrete and nothing definite as to where it is going at the moment”

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“It's wrong that we have America and Russia and these countries, that we have to get permission off them to send peacekeeping soldiers into areas where, in fairness, the Irish soldiers have a great reputation for peacekeeping.“

Deputy Scanlon said he would not have a problem with it being settled by referendum rather than a Dáil vote

Minister of State for Further Education, Marian Harkin, who helped form the Government majority as part of a group of ten independent TD’s, said she would not comment on the triple lock situation at this point.

The Government Majority was formed with the support of a group of independent TDs, including Minister Harkin, who could play a significant role in the vote.

The current triple lock policy states that Ireland must have approval from the UN Security Council, Dáil, and Oireachtas before sending more than 12 of its soldiers on peacekeeping missions.

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Minister McEntee has told The Times that there would be no free vote on this and TDs would be expected to vote with the Government on deployments if the triple lock is removed.

Opposition parties have said that the removal of the triple lock would threaten the country's longstanding policy of neutrality, but government parties have said that it will improve sovereignty.

Minister for Procurement Frank Feighan has said he would vote with the Government and his party, Fine Gael, when the Bill comes to the Dáil.

A spokesperson for Minister Feighan said, “Minister Feighan does not see this as a threat to Irish neutrality, because the Government has been clear that the legislation does not affect Ireland’s position of neutrality … the purpose is to modernise decision-making so Ireland can continue taking part in peacekeeping in a way that reflects today’s security realities.” 

“The current system means any one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, or the United States can block Ireland from participating in peacekeeping missions. 

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“Given the current international political climate, this could compromise Ireland’s long-standing commitment to international peace and crisis response. The aim is to ensure Ireland can continue contributing to peacekeeping and respond responsibly to crises as they arise.”

Government TDs are yet to be briefed on the official position. However, Minister for Foreign Affairs Heather McEntee has said the Government would like to have this process completed by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, every party in the Opposition has positioned itself against the proposed bill, stating that the move would water down Irish neutrality and jeopardise independence and security.

“I would be very much opposed to removing the triple lock, I think we need to be reinforcing a relationship with the United Nations rather than breaking it up,” said Deputy Martin Kenny, Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Agriculture.

​He acknowledges anxieties around the decay of the international order and intensifying global tensions, but believes that maintaining strong co-operation with the UN is paramount to safeguarding independence.

“We need to be recognising that international law needs to be observed and we need to be reinforcing our relationship with the main organisations globally, which is about ensuring that international law is observed - that is the United Nations.”

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The notion of military alliances like NATO or a European Army is something he believes the country should resist, despite troubled global waters.

“Ireland in ten or fifteen years time does not want to be aligned with countries, most of whom are former colonisers and major world powers that have sometimes governments that can come into play in those countries that are very negative and very authoritarian.”

“They could be using military alliances to their own ends, and Ireland can be caught up in the middle of all that, and I don't think that is where we need to be”

Opposition leaders took the chance last week to question the government's proposal in the Dáil, the first shots in what Deputy Kenny believes will be an intense debate before the Bill itself goes to a vote.​

“It would be quite a divisive debate, and I am not sure if that is the way you want to go … I imagine it would be difficult for the government to push this through and not come up against substantial opposition from even within their own parties.”

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The bill itself does not change Ireland’s official position on neutrality, Kenny stresses that if it has a bearing on Neutrality then it should go for a referendum. “I don't think it is something that should be just done by a group of TDs or members of the Oirachtas, and I think it should be put to the people”

“We have a very strong voice because our neutrality is something that is seen as an independent and honest broker in any of the debates having around world affairs.”