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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 16 and 34 together.

As I stated earlier in response to questions from Deputy Howlin and others, we are living in a new era in Europe and in the world in which Ireland also faces significant new security and defence challenges, and we too must consider how best to respond. Given the changing nature of international conflict and geopolitics, it is appropriate and necessary at this time to amend existing legislation with regard to overseas deployments. This will ensure that our legislation is fully up to date and fit for purpose, and will thereby allow us to dispatch the Defence Forces overseas to respond to situations where UN Security Council members are preventing agreement on a vital peacekeeping operation or to support crisis management evacuation operations involving our citizens.

In addition to modifying the triple lock, it is also intended to amend provisions relating to the deployment of Defence Forces personnel in non-combatant evacuation operations and other security duties overseas. This is particularly to support Irish citizens and the changes proposed will allow us to respond to crisis situations with more agility and clarity.

I am happy to provide the House with some examples where the existing triple lock provision has created issues by potentially restricting the deployment of members of the Defence Forces overseas. The most recent occurred in 2022 when the possibility of a UN Security Council veto emerged in relation to the renewal of UN authorisation for EUFOR Operation Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where five members of the Defence Forces are currently deployed. Had this mandate extension been vetoed, we would have had to withdraw from the mission. At the time, using our membership of the UN Security Council, we successfully influenced the other members to renew the mandate. Had we been unsuccessful in our efforts, however, our contingent would have had to withdraw given the current provisions under the triple lock.

In 2017, the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre Narcotics, MAOC(N), which is an international maritime intelligence centre supported by the European Union, requested a Naval Service ship to assist with maritime drug interdiction operations. Although Ireland is a strong supporter of the centre and was, in fact, one of the founding members, consideration could not be given to deploying a ship given there would no UN mandate for such an operation.

Another example occurred in 2015 when the European Union established a security mission in the Mediterranean known as Operation Sophia. This mission did not have a UN mandate until 2016 and, as a result, Ireland could not participate until then. The same concerns have since arisen in respect of Operation Althea and could arise in the future where a potential UN Security Council member veto will result in Ireland having to withdraw from the mission under current legislative provisions.

These are the kinds of deployments where the current provisions have created problems for Ireland in terms of our contribution to international peace and security, and it is situations such as these that the legislative changes proposed are attempting to overcome. No new peacekeeping mission has been sanctioned by the UN Security Council since 2014.

It is important, however, that I again emphasise that any legislative proposals will remain fully consistent with the principles of the UN Charter and international law. The proposed changes are not about Ireland turning its back on UN peacekeeping. Ireland is and will remain fully committed to the UN. The purpose of these modifications is to reinforce Ireland's ability to pursue an independent foreign policy by removing the power of UN Security Council permanent members to veto our national sovereign decisions. Any modification will continue to require Government and Dáil approval for the dispatch of Defence Forces personnel to take part in peacekeeping and similar missions, and will do nothing to change Ireland's traditional position of, and position on, military neutrality, which is characterised by Ireland's non-participation in any military alliance.

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