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

The Government has said it will change the triple-lock system for deploying troops abroad, which currently requires Government, Dail 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.

Meeting

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 O Ceannabhain 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.

Ms McDonald told reporters before the event that there will be “a big push back” from opposition parties against Government efforts to change the triple lock.

“They need to know that there will be a big push back against that from all of us collectively in the opposition but I believe from communities and from wider Irish society as well.”

She told the rally: “So if Micheal 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.”

Threatened

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.”

Mission

Ms Gibney said that no Irish mission has been vetoed by the UN Security Council since the introduction of the triple lock.

She told the room that the triple lock was not being “changed” but instead removed.

“They’re actually moving it from being a triple lock into a single lock, because they (have) this majority in the Dail. The government then forces through the Dail anything that it wants, so there is no oversight.

“Neutrality is not passive, it is not denial, it is not cowardice. It is a smart strategy for a small island nation which cannot ever compete with the military superpowers that dominate our world.”

Labour TD Duncan Smith said the party, which was not represented at the event, will be opposing the proposed Government changes to the triple lock which he said was a long-standing party policy.

“We plan on attending future events and will work with all to oppose Government changes to the triple lock.”

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