‘Hands off Irish neutrality’: Opposition pushes back against triple-lock changes

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

Opposition politicians have pledged to “fight like hell” to push back against Government efforts to change the State’s system for deploying troops abroad.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and other Opposition TDs and Senators decried it as an act that would erode “cherished” Irish neutrality.

The Government has said it will change the triple-lock system for deploying troops abroad, which currently requires Government, Dáil and UN approval to send more than 12 Irish peacekeepers overseas.

Under draft legislation being advanced by the Government, it is proposed to remove the need for formal UN approval and replace it with a stipulation that the Defence Forces deployment would be in accordance with the UN Charter.

The Government has argued this will prevent the permanent members of the UN Security Council – Russia, China, the UK, the US and France – from vetoing Irish peacekeeping missions.

At a packed meeting room in the Gresham hotel in Dublin city on Saturday, people were urged to protest in the streets over the issue.

Actor Liam Cunningham and award-winning folk singer Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin performed at the event, organised by the Irish Neutrality League.

Senators Alice Mary Higgins and Frances Black, Galway West TD Catherine Connolly, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy and Social Democrats TD Sinead Gibney spoke at the event.

Ms McDonald said the opposition would work together to push back against efforts to change neutrality.

She told the rally: “So if Micheál Martin or Simon Harris really believe that they have this right, if they really are convinced by their own argument, if they want to get rid of our position as the neutral, I say to them: ‘Go to the people, put the question, and she’ll get your answer’.”

She encouraged people “to campaign relentlessly” and to “put feet on the streets”.

She also said: “They believe that they can push ahead with their plans unchallenged. We have news for them, because we will fight like hell to stop them, and our message to Micheal Martin and to Simon Harris and to Ursula von der Leyen is very clear – hands off Ireland’s neutrality.”

Ms Connolly said Ireland’s peace is threatened “by the war-mongering military industrial complex” embraced by countries in Europe.

“We’re here to give one message to the Government, and the message is neutrality matters to us,” she said.

“We will not give it away, and we will not give away the triple-lock, no matter what lies you tell us, no matter what narrative you spin, we know what’s going on.”

Ms Black said it was important to protect “both neutrality and the triple-lock from the unacceptable erosion planned by this current Government”.

She said the triple-lock guaranteed that Ireland’s Defence Forces would “never be deployed in an illegal war” and it was “staggering” to take action that endangered that commitment.

“For many of us, neutrality is political, but also deeply personal,” she said.

“What damage could this regressive move do to Ireland’s reputation internationally, especially when our strong voice on Palestine is needed now more than ever?”

Ms Higgins said that Ireland was elected to the UN Security Council due to its “huge credibility” on “peace and neutrality and disarmament”.

She said Ireland should be at the “centre” of efforts to reform the UN rather than removing their involvement in deploying Irish troops.

“The triple-lock does not prevent defence of our own borders, the triple-lock does not prevent humanitarian action by Ireland and, of course, the triple-lock can be activated by the General Assembly as well as the Security Council.”

A pro-peace protest in Dublin city is planned on June 14th.