Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy again for engaging on this. I accept that we have very different views on this. I am not trying to deny that. How we engage, however, is important. Teasing through detail, our fundamental views and positions and everyone accepting our bona fides is good. I accept the Deputy's bona fides in terms of the value he attaches to military neutrality. Let me be as helpful as I can.

The Deputy needs to recognise that I have not brought the Bill to Cabinet yet. I intend to bring the draft legislation and general scheme to Cabinet in March. I will publish it straight thereafter, so it will be available for Members of this House and the Irish people in March. I want to be clear. The Deputy made the point about wanting to make sure adequate time is available. That is absolutely my intention. Of course, it will have to have pre-legislative scrutiny. The Government will not seek any waiver to that. That is an opportunity for those who follow these debates from home. That is an opportunity for people, organisations and others to be brought in and to give their views as to what they may think of the legislation, good, bad or indifferent. It is a matter for committees to decide who comes in, and for the committee on defence to make a report, which I will consider.

The Bill will provide for a modification of the existing requirement regarding the triple lock with regard to the dispatch of the Defence Forces for services outside the State as part of an international United Nations force. In effect, the requirement for the UN Security Council mandate will be removed. However, governing principles will be included, which will apply to any future deployments where operations must adhere to the principles of the UN Charter. We are big believers in the UN Charter. We spent most of the time talking about the importance of people adhering to the UN Charter in places such as Ukraine and everywhere else and the absolute primacy of the charter. I intend to ensure that the principles of the charter and international law are embedded in any legislation.

These principles have been refined to ensure appropriate legal effect as part of the drafting process. It is also proposed that the Bill would set out the general principles that will apply when a contingent is being despatched for service and there will be a requirement to seek Government approval. Where the number of Defence Forces is over a certain number, Dáil approval will also be triggered.

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