Neutrality and Triple Lock: Motion [Private Members]
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-16
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Mattie McGrath (IND), Tipperary South

My position on this has also been very clear. Our neutrality must be sacrosanct. It is sacrosanct as far as I am concerned. It is not something that should be weakened, chipped away at or in any way undermined. For a long time, the Taoiseach has held roadshows where he handpicked chairs for his own crowd of NGOs and other people on the bandwagon around the country. He got his answer. If he has to change this, he has to go to the people. As Deputy Nolan said, we had good leadership from a previous esteemed leader of Fianna Fáil. The Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, is from the same county, Contae an Chláir. De Valera stood solid. We must stand solid here.
I too did not attend when President Zelenskyy addressed us. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade recently gave him another €12 million. It is like confetti or giving children at first communions pocket money. There is no accountability in terms of where that money goes. We have to stand by our neutrality.
I wholeheartedly compliment our Defence Forces on their service abroad, going back to the Congo and in many different war zones. They are held in high esteem and I salute them. It might be better for the Taoiseach to recognise and support the men of Jadotville who did not get proper support or recognition, even though he promised in opposition that he would do so. He steadfastly refuses to meet them or do anything for them.
This is a no-go area. If our neutrality has to be changed, it has to be put to the people. The Taoiseach is frightened of the people because of the results of past referendums when the Government tried to remove something from the Constitution. Our neutrality is sacrosanct and has to remain so, and I want it kept so.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:48+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-16