Dr. Cathal Berry:

I would like to come in on that as well. Does it dilute our sovereignty? It absolutely does. We are a democratic country and we are taking some of the democratic power we have in Dublin and giving it to kings, queens, authoritarian rulers and wannabe dictators all over the world. It dilutes our sovereignty, but it also undermines the United Nations. The triple lock does not support the United Nations and actually undermines it. Chapter VIII of the UN Charter is very specific that under Article 52 it not only permits but encourages regional entities to conduct peacekeeping operations. Ireland is a signatory to the UN Charter and on that basis we are obligated to uphold its provisions, but the triple lock undermines Chapter VIII, so there is incongruity there. I hope that answers the Senator's question. It dilutes Irish sovereignty and also undermines the UN Charter and by extension the United Nations itself.