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

First, Ireland has distinguished itself in the peacekeeping missions that have been deployed all over the world.

We pay tribute to members of Óglaigh na hÉireann for discharging their duties honourably and with great professionalism. They are much sought after in trouble spots across the world because of that professionalism and commitment. I will put that on the record.

Second, Ireland is very committed to multilateralism. I have been honoured to address the United Nations, and its various forums, on a number of occasions. I am a multilateralist at heart. The only way small nations can have ultimate security is by being multilateral and by engaging in international forums, and Ireland does that exceptionally well. We have a brilliant diplomatic network that represents us at different UN, EU and international forums. We have been invited onto the G20 because of our activist position on international affairs.

Ending the triple lock in no way undermines commitment to multilateralism and I think we need to demythologise this. How does it undermine our commitment to multilateralism? It simply does not. The consultative forum brought that out. It is by dint of our performance in pushing issues like women in peace and security as an agenda item for the UN, for example, or profiling the shocking treatment of women in Afghanistan at the UN that distinguishes Ireland in terms of policies. We led the clusters munition convention over two decades ago with four other countries - Norway, Peru and others - to try to get rid of cluster munitions from battlefields and the conduct of war. Let us not undermine ourselves.

There is a fundamental paradox in what the Deputy is saying. Three years ago, Russia brutally invaded Ukraine, bombing civilian infrastructure and seeking to undermine the UN Charter. Yet, the Deputy is saying that Russia gives legitimacy to any peacekeeping mission we would embark upon. Russia is on the Security Council. That is what we are talking about here. We are now saying that those the Deputy accuses of ripping up the multilateral order should be given a veto as to whether Ireland participates in peacekeeping.

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