Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will not be so polite in relation to this. If the Tánaiste thinks that getting rid of the triple lock will lead to a more peaceful world, he is deluded. It is disgraceful and disingenuous of him to tell us that getting rid of the triple lock will not interfere with our neutrality. Our questions are trying to elicit details on the mechanism by which the Tánaiste is going to do this. He referred to the consultative forum as giving the prevailing view. That is also not correct. The consultative forum was hand-picked. Its report states: "a large number of voices expressed the view that the Triple Lock ought to be changed." It does not tell us who those voices are or that it was the prevailing view. The Government set up a mechanism for a prearranged final outcome and this is now the next step. It is absolutely disgraceful and unacceptable. If the Tánaiste thinks my opinions are strong, I can tell him that the feeling on the ground is far more intense than what I am expressing.

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