Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

The truth is this Government does not have the mandate to change the triple lock. As my colleague said, the Fianna Fáil general election manifesto vaguely mentions it. In a 200-page document, it gets one mention. The Fine Gael general election manifesto does not mention the triple lock at all and I am pretty sure it did not make it to Michael Lowry’s shopping list either.

People did not vote for Fianna Fáil on the premise of this change because it never told them about it not to mind the fact that pre-election commitments it did make on housing and on enacting the Occupied Territories Bill have been abandoned as quickly as possible. I will quote from the programme for Government:

We will reform the Triple Lock legislation whilst also ensuring that amendments to the legislation are in keeping with our values and policy of active military neutrality.

That is the only mention of it. It is vague. It is meaningless. What we are doing in the Social Democrats is calling on this Government to consult with the very people who put us here on an issue of such incredible importance. Since tabling this motion we have heard important opinions on the issue being raised with us directly. I am sure the Minister of State has too through the media and from the canteens and school gates around the country. People want to have their say on the triple lock. Unilateral decisions made by this Government will not be good enough.

I am minded of a conversation I had with our colleague Councillor Pat Balfe in Kildare who is a very proud former Defence Forces member. He spoke to me of the incredible tradition that the Irish Defence Forces has. They are trained to the highest degree. We have the longest unbroken peacekeeping service in the world. It is because of this experience and distinguished service in very challenging environments that our reputation upholds. However, this Government and successive Governments have dropped the ball on defence, the members of the Defence Forces and their families. The Social Democrats believes we must invest in the Defence Forces with the goal of bringing funding to a sustainable level that would allow it to fulfil its duties. We must address the pay issues faced by Defence Forces personnel which are inhibiting meeting goals around retention; set a minimum level in the Defence Forces of 11,500 with 500 in training; equip our Defence Forces with the systems and technologies required to effectively carry out its roles, including sonar and air surveillance radar; and we can develop the rank, pay and promotion system within the Defence Forces which is archaic and out of date.

The Government does not have the mandate. The people want to have their say on the triple lock. Give them their say.

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