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

The Navy should have two to three additional ships on the ocean. Ideally, two of these ships should be frigate-class ships that can have a helicopter on board and also accommodate approximately a platoon of 30 to 40 soldiers. At the end of 2012, the Naval Service numbered 1,058 in strength. We should look to expand it to 1,500 or 1,600 over the years to 2025. In tandem we would also look to develop the air capacity of the forces. The Air Corps rotary wing fleet could be expanded to include additional helicopters, especially over-ocean models with greater troop-carrying capacity, without requiring increases in the Air Corps establishment. Experiences in such overseas missions as the EUFOR mission to Chad and the Central African Republic, have demonstrated the need and requirement to have accessible and appropriate rotary wing capacity in difficult situations and terrains.

We believe that the triple lock should be retained. Ireland has always conferred fundamental importance to the United Nations since we joined 58 years ago and working with other UN members we have supported international action in areas such as disarmament, peacekeeping, development and human rights. We are strong and committed supporters of collective security through the United Nations. This has been the stated policy of many Governments over the past 58 years. Ireland has endorsed and supported the primary role of the Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security, in accordance with the charter of the United Nations.

The Nice treaty of 2002, with the associated Seville Declaration, endorsed the stance that the participation of the Defence Forces in overseas operations requires authorisation of the operation by the Security Council or the General Assembly of the United Nations, the agreement of the Government and the approval of Dáil Éireann in accordance with Irish law. This emphasis on the UN is not one we should lightly discard. While we are conscious of the opposition to the triple lock from some military and political commentators, however, we believe that there is overwhelming public support for the mechanism. We acknowledge that the UN is not perfect and can be slow to respond to developing crises but it is still the guarantor of the freedoms of small nations and the best bulwark against unilateralism. Its imprimaturprovides a greater legitimacy for peacekeeping operations than any other international organisation.

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