Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom, i dtús báire, mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leo siúd a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht, in ainneoin nach n-aontaím leis an gcuid is mó a tháinig ó urlabhraithe Fhianna Fáil agus Fhine Gael agus fiú amháin ó Pháirtí an Lucht Oibre, sa chás seo.

I believe wholeheartedly that the proper role for Ireland in this changing world is to be neutral, to be an honest broker and to live to up to our reputation as an international peacekeeper. Some who contributed to this debate insinuated that this Bill would in some way undermine the role Ireland has played and can play in future EU and UN peacekeeping missions. This is a red-herring and is another reflection by the crawlers in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Are they so blinkered that they cannot see the writing on the wall or is it that they do not want to see it? On what the Tánaiste said earlier, I am seriously worried if he believes what he read into the record, especially where he said that we impose conditions on military airplanes landing in Shannon Airport and where said that the EU was indispensable to the preservation of peace. I appeal to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to take the blinkers off and to see for themselves exactly what is happening.

Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked what has happened and what changes dictate us having this debate at this stage. Since the last time we had a vote here, when the Labour Party indicated it would support the Bill, the Government has signed up to PESCO.

Since then, the PESCO policy has been signed up to by Government. The EU military headquarters has been agreed on and acted on. The European defence fund has been set up. The NATO and EU status of forces agreements have only recently been signed up to by this Government. The European Defence Agency has added to its work and, lately, the Government has sought to send the Army Ranger Wing to Mali, a place where there are already 20 Irish soldiers without any backing from the Dáil despite the supposed triple lock. These changes demonstrate that we need to allow the Irish people to have a say on this. What is the Government afraid of? We should put the wording to the people. I can guarantee that we will have a proper debate. I can also guarantee that, based on the polls to date, the people will overwhelmingly support the wording we are suggesting. Nothing in this legislation would prevent Ireland from defending itself in future, as some in the House have tried to insinuate tonight.

The Tánaiste said our neutrality was fully respected at EU level. The EU laughs at Ireland every time this comes up. They know that, like a good poodle, the Government will roll over for a tickle when the time comes and will capitulate as it has done since 1997, when Fianna Fáil signed up to the Partnership for Peace. It is the NATO Partnership for Peace, not that of the EU. Mention of the triple lock was made and has been flaunted in the House.

We should put this to a vote and allow the people to have their say. Mar a dúirt mé níos luaithe, tá sé tábhachtach go dtugann muid deis do ghnáthphobal na hÉireann vóta a chaitheamh mar gheall ar fhoclaíocht a chur sa Bhunreacht a dhéanfaidh cinnte go dtugaimid cosaint cheart do neodracht na hÉireann. Níl an deis sin acu faoi láthair toisc nach raibh an crógacht ag aon pháirtí i rialtas é sin a dhéanamh go dtí seo toisc go raibh eagla orthu roimh a máistrí san EU. Tá sé in am seasamh suas dúinn féin mar náisiún, ár bpolasaí eachtrannach a dhéanamh muid féin, agus cosaint a thabhairt dúinn féin seachas a bheith ag luí isteach leis an bplean atá ag cinnirí an Aontais Eorpaigh chun bogadh i dtreo arm Eorpach a bhunú. Tá sé sin ag tarlú in ainneoin an méid a dúirt an Tánaiste an Aire Stáit agus urlabhraí Fhianna Fáil.

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