Majority of Dublin Councillors oppose Government plan to abolish Triple Lock
A majority of Dublin City Council representatives have opposed the government’s intention to abolish the Triple Lock through its incoming Defence Amendment Bill.
As supporters of the Triple Lock rallied outside City Hall last night, Councillor Cieran Perry called on councillors to voice their support for what he described as “an integral part of Irish neutrality.” While Chief Executive Richard Shakespeare stated this was “not a matter for Dublin City Council,” Cllr Perry put forward a motion claiming the incoming bill represents a "disingenuous attempt by the government, the arms industry lobbyists, and the majority of the mainstream media” to go against what he said polls indicate is the will of the majority of Irish citizens.
The Triple Lock governs the deployment of Irish Defence Forces personnel overseas and ensures that the participation of more than 12 defence personnel always requires approval from the Cabinet, Dail Eireann, and a United Nations mandate from either the Security Council or the General Assembly. The new legislation will remove the UN requirement, which effectively abolishes the Triple Lock.
Cllr Perry’s motion stated the Irish people rejected the Nice Treaty in 2001 “over concerns that it would drag Ireland into EU military structures that would threaten our neutrality.” “To get the electorate to approve the EU Treaty, the government with the agreement of the other EU Member States, through a “solemn declaration” introduced the Triple Lock,” he said.
“This declaration was reiterated following the initial rejection of the subsequent Lisbon Treaty. Therefore, this council rejects government plans to abolish or amend the Triple Lock, considering the proposal signifies a breach of trust with the Irish electorate and a serious diminution of Irish neutrality.”
Cllr Perry stated that “now, more than ever, we need the protection of the Triple Lock to keep us out of imperial wars.” Considering, the “ continuing genocide in Gaza , the illegal US interventions in Iran and Venezuela, and Trump’s threats against Colombia, Mexico, Greenland and any other land that takes his fancy” he stressed the “importance of Ireland being an independent neutral country could not be more clear.”
He criticised Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris' support for the bill while stating “It won’t be their sons or daughters coming home in body bags.” Cllr Perry said if government representatives are so convinced of their arguments that they should “have the guts to have a referendum” and “let the people decide.”
The motion was supported by the majority of council members with 39 voting in favour, nine against, and four abstaining. However, several council members who were present at the meeting temporarily left the council chamber before the vote was taken, which was criticised by Sinn Fein Cllr Michael Mac Donncha as “scandalous.”
One abstention came from Fianna Fail Cllr Rory Hogan who said that the topic falls within the remit of the Oireachtas and the government and it was important to “recognise the limit of the council’s authority.” While he said he “respects the concerns raised in the motion,” he questioned the appropriateness of the council “asserting a position beyond its competence.”
“When institutions act outside their remit, even with good intentions, it risks diluting the seriousness of both the issue at hand and the credibility of the body itself,” he said. He said to do otherwise risks focusing too much on “symbolic national policy debates” rather than "addressing the responsibilities entrusted to it.”
“The logical course therefore is neither to endorse nor to condemn the government's proposal within this chamber but recognise that the appropriate arena for that debate lies elsewhere; In the national Dail and ultimately among the electorate.”
Fine Gael Cllr David Coffey said the debate around Irish neutrality is a “big and important question” and that as the world is changing “we might have to make difficult decisions.” He stressed that he doesn’t agree with hurting people but that "sometimes force is necessary to protect your beliefs and your country.”
With Ireland “currently looking to other countries to defend us,” Cllr Coffey argued Ireland “should be able to protect ourselves” and “help our neighbours if needed.” He said this “doesn’t have to do with hurting people, but ensuring others don’t hurt us.”
Sinn Fein Cllr Janice Boylan stated that Irish people have “repeatedly shown their support for maintaining military neutrality and non-involvement in military alliances” and that is it “totally unacceptable that the Fianna Fail-Fine Gael government is preparing to throw out the safeguard that is the Triple Lock.” She said a commitment to peace is “needed now more than ever.” as “wars of aggression” and “even genocide” are taking place.
Ireland’s reputation for peace brokering around the world would be damaged by the removal of the Triple Lock according to Green Party Cllr Janet Horner. She said that, as a country that are not part of international military allegiances, “we are considered honest brokers,” and swap that legacy for fractured alliances will mean “we will always be small players overshadowed by more powerful neighbours.”
She said that although the UN may be flawed, it is “as urgent now as it was in the post WWII era.” Cllr Horner stressed the values of Ireland have “always been about standing with people fighting against oppression” and never with regimes who bring “oppression or war.”
Independent Cllr Kevin Breen stressed the importance of neutrality across modern Irish history and that it allows “Ireland to speak with credibility for peace” on the world stage. He referenced a statement from Taoiseach Micheal Martin in 2013 when he described the Triple Lock as being at “the core of Irish neutrality.”
He questioned, if that was true in 2013, then what has changed in the years since. “Is it pressure from Brussels for a common European army? Is it pressure from the military industrial complex NATO? Influence from America?,” Cllr Breen asked.
“Neutrality is too important to let it quickly slip away into the night through neglect, cowardice and on the whim of the government of the day. Neutrality cannot be turned on and off like a switch, once lost, Irish neutrality is lost forever. We should put it to a referendum and let the people decide,” he argued.
It should be noted that this debate was held in the Irish language and every effort has been made to ensure translations are as accurate as possible.
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