Sinn Fein is accusing the government of compromising Irish neutrality by planning new legislation to change Ireland’s policy on its so-called ‘triple lock’ mechanism on overseas deployments, prompting angry exchanges in the Dail..
The system means any Defence Force mission requires a UN mandate, which would then need Government approval and if it involves more than 12 soldiers it would also need Dáil approval.
In the Dail last night Tanaiste and Defence Minister Michael Martin announced the government plans to change that to make Ireland’s peacekeeping duties more streamlined, arguing that at present, the triple lock effectively gives Russia a veto over Irish deployments.
Today, Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty claimed in the Dail that Mr Martin is effectively abandoning his own party’s stated policy, a claim the Tanaiste denied……..
You can hear the full exchange here –
