Tom Clonan (Independent)
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In the briefing note for the Oireachtas Committee on Defence and National Security, it says the purpose of this defence (amendment) Bill is the reform of the triple lock. It also mentions the modification of the triple lock. In Ms Maguire's opening statement, she mentioned reform. Is it not the case that this is the removal of the triple lock? I do not see a new lock. What is the new lock? If it is a simple Government majority, that is not a lock at all. I want Ms Maguire to confirm for the committee that this involves the removal of the triple lock. If so, could we stop referring to modification of or alteration of the triple lock?

Can Ms Maguire tell me what is the largest military formation that the Defence Forces can deploy overseas at the moment? Is it a platoon, a company or a brigade? What is it? Can Ms Maguire tell me why the arbitrary number of 50 has been chosen as an increase on the number of 12 to be dispatched without Dáil approval? In answering that question, she might bear in mind that 12 is section strength, 30 is platoon strength and 120 is roughly company strength, give or take. Where did this number of 50 come from? It has no military significance or meaning that I can ascertain. I would like to know the knowledge behind that.

The precedent has been that when the Government has had an opportunity to send the maximum number of 12 troops without Dáil or Oireachtas approval, it has consistently used that to the maximum. For example, from 2002 to 2016, we dispatched 12 troops to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. Based on that precedent, does it not therefore mean that the Government could send up to 50 troops to a NATO-led force if this was enacted?

Ms Maguire mentioned in her answers to Deputy Stanley that all EU and NATO missions are conducted in a manner that is consistent with the principles of international law, the UN Charter and so on and so forth. Is it Ms Maguire's understanding that this was the case with the invasion of Iraq? It certainly is not my understanding.

On service outside the State, which Ms Maguire mentioned, there is a repetition in the discussion here of the phrase "peacekeeping". Is it not the case that 27 years ago, Ireland did one thing for one international agency? We did peacekeeping for the United Nations 25 years ago, but is it not the case that we now do peacekeeping and peace enforcement for the United Nations and for the European Union? In fact, we led the first expeditionary force outside of Europe's borders to Chad and the Central African Republic, which was a peace enforcement mission - not peacekeeping. Let us be really clear here; peace enforcement involves the full spectrum of combat operations. That is what we have committed to.

We have also participated in peace enforcement missions in Afghanistan, Kosovo and to the best of my recollection on the continent of Africa in Somalia and also I think in Liberia. When she talks about the dispatch of our troops, is Ms Maguire saying that with the removal of the triple lock - I want an answer to this - any future Government can send any number of Irish troops to any conflict in the world at any time? If this is not a modification of the triple lock, this is a removal of the triple lock.

Finally, it has been repeated over and over again that there is no connection whatsoever between the triple lock and our militarily non-aligned neutral status. You could also say there is no connection between the steering wheel of a car and the brakes but they are linked as a functional whole. On what basis is it said that the removal of the triple lock will have no impact whatsoever on our militarily non-aligned neutral status? I thank the witness.