Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Government has insisted there is "no hidden agenda at play" or prejudged outcome on the consultative forum on security and defence. These are the words the Tánaiste used in this House on 18 May. In the following Sunday's newspaper editions, however, we were told that the three Government party leaders had reached a consensus that the triple lock mechanism that underpins Irish neutrality is to go. Today, the Taoiseach said that the Government is giving strong consideration to joining a NATO mission off the Irish coast. The reason we depend on others to monitor our skies and our seas is because of the historical and systemic underinvestment in our Defence Forces. Rather than continually seeking to undermine our neutrality, will the Government instead accelerate investment in our own defence capabilities? Will the Government provide for a citizens' forum that can lead to the principle of neutrality being enshrined in the Constitution?

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