Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Legislation to abolish the triple lock is included in the spring legislative programme. The Nice treaty would not have passed in a referendum the second time around without the national declaration promising to retain the triple lock the Government lodged alongside it. Will the Government hold a referendum on the triple lock before attempting to pass legislation here to abolish it? Is the plan to force abolition through - relying on the majority provided by Deputy Lowry - and then quietly withdraw Ireland's national declaration from international law? At the weekend, the Taoiseach said he would have no difficulty whatsoever in bringing to the democratic Parliament of this Republic a proposal to remove the triple lock. Does he include in this idea compliance with what is left of that parliament's democratic procedures? Will he commit not to apply a guillotine in respect of any part of the debate on this legislation? Will he commit to full pre-legislative scrutiny and to not ramming this through the House to avoid debate?

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