Sinn Féin TD for Waterford Conor McGuinness has condemned the Government’s plans to scrap the Triple Lock, accusing Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael of showing contempt for the Irish people by attempting to dismantle a key safeguard of Irish neutrality without a referendum.
Speaking in the Dáil during debate on the Government’s Bill, Deputy McGuinness said the Government had no mandate to remove the Triple Lock and challenged the Taoiseach to let the Irish people decide.
He said the decision to curtail the debate entirely was an affront to democratic scrutiny, as the Government pushes ahead with a fundamental change to Ireland’s foreign policy.
Deputy McGuinness said:
“I am disgusted by what this Government is doing. It is arrogant. It shows contempt for the Irish people.
“Micheál Martin once called the Triple Lock the core of Irish neutrality. Now he wants to get rid of it.
“Who is the Taoiseach trying to impress? Whose interests is he serving? And what price will young Irish men and women pay for his personal ambitions?
“The Triple Lock protects our independent foreign policy. It puts multilateralism at the centre of decisions on overseas deployments and helps prevent Ireland being dragged into military missions shaped by the interests of bigger powers.
“The Irish people know what it means to have their future decided by others. Neutrality keeps us out of military blocs and conflicts that are not ours. It gives us credibility when speaking up for peace, justice and international law.
“The UN needs reform. The answer is to work to fix it, not use its limitations as an excuse to scrap our neutrality.
“The Irish people voted against the Nice and Lisbon treaties before voting again on the basis of guarantees on neutrality, including the Triple Lock. Now this Government wants to remove that safeguard without asking the people.
“If the Taoiseach believes he is right, why is he afraid of a referendum? Let the Irish people decide whether this safeguard should be scrapped.
“Irish neutrality belongs to the Irish people. Not Micheál Martin. Not this Government.”