Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Social Democrats for putting forward this motion. Ireland can be proud of our contributions to the multilateral system in terms of the role we have played regarding humanitarianism, disarmament, non-proliferation and peacekeeping. Alongside our diplomatic corps and peacekeepers, who see policy enacted, our independent foreign policy and triple lock neutrality protection, the chief components, have allowed Ireland to make those contributions.

This is what the Taoiseach thought in 2013 when he responded to similar efforts to undermine the triple lock. In this House, he described such attempts as "sniping at our neutrality", although today he argues that the matters are unrelated. He described the argument that Ireland was failing in its European responsibility and the references to Security Council vetoes as "an out-of-touch ideological obsession on the part of Fine Gael". The Taoiseach's proposal to cut the triple lock is shrouded in inconsistency and shifting justification. He was in favour of a citizens' assembly on neutrality until he was in favour of a so-called consultative forum instead. Following the publication of the forum's report, the Taoiseach announced his intention to dismantle the triple lock, despite the report having found that there is no public appetite to do so. Despite the Taoiseach stating that this would have no impact on Ireland's neutrality, at the time he credited it for our accomplishments. When he opposed Fine Gael's attempts to undermine the triple lock in 2013, the current Taoiseach said that the triple lock had "complete popular legitimacy". The Taoiseach has invoked the triple lock in referendums before. If he believes it has "popular legitimacy", he should have the courage to put this proposal directly before the Irish people via a referendum. Do the Taoiseach and the Minister of State intend to railroad the proposal through without any democratic vote?

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