Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response on this matter. We should never fail to avail of the opportunity at such times to acknowledge the value of the service that our Defence Forces have provided in a variety of countries overseas. Time and again they have distinguished themselves in the service they have given in the cause of peace. Some of them have sacrificed their lives. In general, when we reflect on our Defence Forces, we think first and foremost of the distinguished overseas service that has been given over many years. We should never lose the opportunity of highlighting the importance of that. For young people who are considering a career in the Defence Forces, one of the attractive aspects is the type of service that they are in a position to give in parts of the world where our Defence Forces are deployed from time to time.

I am mindful of the fact that over the years people in the Minister's party have had various comments to make about the triple lock system. What is the Minister's current thinking on the triple lock, with particular reference to our participation in the EU battlegroups? Let us speculate on a scenario whereby some fellow members of these battlegroups express an interest in participating in a particular mission that might not have the approval of the United Nations. What strategic approach would the Minister for Defence adopt to that issue? Does the Minister envisage bringing proposals before the House on the triple lock? This issue has concerned some Fine Gael Members in the past.

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