Defence Matters: Statements Seanad Éireann — 2026-02-25 ============================================================ Chris Andrews (SF), Labour Panel I thank the Minister for coming in. The current assault on the triple lock by the Government is enormously alarming. It is even more alarming when we hear the powerful contribution from Senator Clonan, who clearly has knowledge and experience. He has, through an evidence-based argument, deconstructed the argument by the Government for the need to get rid of the triple lock. Almost all evidence points to the fact that most Irish people believe the triple lock is necessary and is an important protection to ensure our neutrality. Recent polls have shown that our neutrality in the triple lock is supported by a significant majority and despite this, the Government seems dead set on dismantling the protection to allow for the deployment of our Defence Forces abroad without UN approval. Let us be clear; if the Government's Bill is enacted, it will make Ireland less safe. The general scheme of the defence (amendment) Bill 2025 aims to erode the triple lock, which the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, described in the Dáil in 2013 as being at "the core of our neutrality". In the same debate, he said that although "the United Nations is not working as it should ... we must not abandon it as an essential part of the international system". In the years since then, the world has become a more dangerous and less stable place. Our neutrality is now more important than ever in ensuring our security and keeping us out of the international wars that put our Defence Forces and our country at risk. Yet, the Government has opted to attack the core of our neutrality in a clear attempt to move us closer to NATO and align us with EU militarisation. This is the direction of travel the Government is putting us on. It is undermining our long-standing military neutrality, increasing EU military integration and aligning us with countries like the United States, Britain and Germany, which have openly facilitated genocide in Palestine and countless other countries, moving us away from our proud history as a voice for peace and diplomacy towards a future as a tiny cog in a European military machine. The Government argument that removing the triple lock is not about undermining our neutrality but protecting our sovereignty is complete nonsense. The provisions of the triple lock ensure that when Irish peacekeepers are deployed abroad, it should only happen on the basis of international law and with international consensus, not as part of one side of a great power conflict. Ministers constantly say this is about removing Russia's veto on Irish foreign policy, which is blatantly untrue. Russia, as a Security Council member, cannot veto a specific country's participation in a peace enforcement mission. Since the 1990s there has been no evidence that a Russian veto ever prevented Ireland from participating in a peace enforcement mission and there is no evidence that Russia has ever vetoed a peace enforcement mission to bring that mission to an end. There is no doubt the UN needs to be reformed, and it is not functioning as it was first intended, but now is not the time for us to abandon any belief in international peace and run to grab our rifles. Our strength is in our reputation as diplomats, peacekeepers and peace builders. As a small country, our strength will never be military. Ireland, as a militarily neutral country, should be at the forefront of standing up for multilateralism and for diplomacy. We would be foolish to abandon this effort just so we can sign up to foreign military adventures. If the Government is as concerned about sovereignty as it claims, the obvious thing it should do is put it to the people as to whether they actually favour abolishing the triple lock. Removing the triple lock will be a monumental change in Ireland's foreign policy and the Government should stop trying to brush over this ramification. I believe that Ireland's place in the world is as a country that stands up for international law and for peace. Our military neutrality is central to this and must be protected. If the Government thinks it has the winning arguments on this issue, it should put them to the people. Let us have a referendum and let the people decide. Trust the people to make the decision that is good for Ireland and I believe they will do so. I understand that today it was agreed the Israel-Ireland match would be played here. I want to mention all the backroom staff, team, players, management and supporters. The Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, says he welcomes Israeli supporters here and that we should welcome them here because it is a regular team. Honestly, what planet is the Government living on to say this? If I suggested we play Russia in a friendly in the Aviva, I would be derided and slammed for it. On the same day that Israelis are sending Palestinian skulls to the staff in Al-Shifa hospital, the Minister is saying that Israel is a normal country, a normal state and a normal football team. I would look to ensure there is security screening for Israelis coming to support or participate in that match. They should be vetted and anyone found to be participating in the Israel Defense Forces genocide in Gaza or war crimes should be arrested and dealt with. Of course the Government will not do this because it is spineless. This is the reality. It is afraid to upset the Americans and afraid to upset the Israelis. If Russians who had just left the front line on Ukraine were coming here, the Government would have no issue pulling them up, doing a security check and dealing with them in the proper manner but Israelis coming in, having participated in genocide and committed war crimes, will not be stopped. There will be no problem issuing them visas to come in. Contrast this with the GAA kids from Palestine who were looking to come over and play football and hurling last year. They were blocked but the Government will not block genocidal participants. This is shameful. Is it any wonder the Government is not going to pass the occupied territories Bill or why we have not seen sight nor sound of it for a long time? Senator Black's occupied territories Bill has been watered down and the Government will not even bother passing the watered-down version. It is disgraceful. The Minister, Deputy O’Donovan, is trying to claim that Israelis are welcome. Honestly, those in up there in Government Buildings have lost touch. It is shameful that the Government would not hold Israeli participants in genocide to account. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-02-25/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:41+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-02-25