Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)

I am not sure what I will do for the 40 seconds. I have a question for Ms O'Brien. Heads 6 and 7 of the Bill are quite different. It is interesting in that head 6 relates to deployment as part of an international force but it is actually head 7 that relates to some of the issues that have caused the most frustration and they are ones that I am very sympathetic to. There is probably consensus on that in this committee in relation to issues of drug interdiction and missions such as the aforementioned hurling situation.

Others have already commented in the past that perhaps there was an overly legalistic interpretation of the legislation heretofore. We will take, for example, drug interdiction. In what respect, in Ms O'Brien's experience, has the legislation constrained Irish troops? It seems from the draft legislation that it is not the triple lock per sebut perhaps other issues in the Defence Acts that have prevented participation in missions.