Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I rest my case. The Tánaiste made the case for me. He went through a litany of how Ireland has engaged in peacekeeping roles via the mechanism of the UN. He went through Chad and what we did in the north Syrian corridor. He said we were instrumental and met opposition but convinced people. We did this with the triple lock it in place. The Tánaiste still has not given us an argument that involves peacekeeping with regard to why the triple lock should be removed. Every argument he made makes our case that we have taken part in peacekeeping operations with the triple lock in place. This means we cannot engage our troops in other conflicts without the approval of a UN mandate. He banged on and on about the obstacles that come via Russia and not, as Deputy Kenny has just highlighted, the obstacles that come to peacekeeping via the US on the Security Council. The number of times it has vetoed UN resolutions on Palestine, the Middle East was not mentioned.

It is very one-sided but it is also very confusing that the Tánaiste is trying to make a case for ending the triple lock but he is actually making the case that it has been a good thing to have in place while we also engage in peacekeeping missions.

See this speech in context