Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the question. Any modification to the triple lock will continue to require Government and Dáil approval for the dispatch of Defence Forces personnel to take part in peacekeeping and similar missions. Second, it will do nothing to change Ireland’s traditional position of military neutrality, which is characterised by Ireland's non-participation in any military alliance.

The Deputy will be aware that last year’s consultative forum on international security policy featured a well-informed discussion on the issue of UN peacekeeping and the triple lock, contributed to by a wide and varied perspective of views on this matter. It was a very good discussion, well informed and not partisan in any way, and it was subsequently reflected in the chair’s report. This debate provided ample evidence of ways in which to continue Ireland’s long-standing record on peacekeeping while ensuring adherence to the highest standards of international law.

Clearly, we need a new process to replace the current system, which effectively allows UN Security Council members to bind Ireland’s hands in its international engagement. While not being prescriptive about what changes will be made, I have instructed officials in my Department to prepare legislative proposals without delay that would govern the future overseas deployments of our Defence Forces. Work on the preparation of those legislative proposals is progressing, with a view to bringing them to the Government in due course. Any proposals agreed by the Government will then have to be presented to, and debated and approved, by the Dáil and Seanad, thus providing the Oireachtas with ample opportunity to scrutinise any such proposals. Any legislative proposals will remain fully consistent with the principles of the UN charter and international law.

The Government has no plans for the Defence Forces to participate in any further overseas missions at present. Indeed, and extremely regrettably, however, no new peacekeeping missions have been approved by the UN Security Council since 2014. Given the volatility in international security today, we need in the future to be able to deploy our Defence Forces to peacekeeping and crisis response missions speedily and with agility, irrespective of whether they are led by the UN, the EU or another regional organisation.

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