Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald has said the government’s plan to “abolish the Triple Lock” is “a profound betrayal of commitments made to the Irish people and a direct assault on Ireland’s neutrality”.
Speaking in the Dáil on Tuesday, McDonald said that recent rumblings from government “fly in the face of commitments made to the people.”
“During the Nice and Lisbon referendum campaigns, explicit guarantees had to be secured that EU defence cooperation would not compromise Ireland’s military neutrality.
“The Triple Lock is at the very heart of that guarantee,” she said.
The Triple Lock was not referenced in either Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael’s 2024 election manifesto, which the opposition says is proof there is no democratic mandate for the government to reform or abolish the Triple Lock.
“Whatever this government thinks, the Irish people want Ireland to remain neutral. They understand the value of that policy, even if this government does not,” McDonald said.
“Neutrality has allowed us to make an independent contribution to peace and to speak in our own voice, rather than follow the military priorities of others.”
She stated “this government has no mandate and no right to abandon Irish neutrality or to ditch the Triple Lock without explicit reference to the people.”
“So what are you afraid of? Put the question to the people. Make your case. Bring this issue to a referendum.”
The Dublin Central TD stated that “Europe’s direction of travel is clear – greater militarisation, deeper defence integration and ever closer alignment with NATO.”
“Is it any wonder, then, that these leaders and your government will be joined by the Secretary General of NATO? His presence further underlines the increasingly militarised political environment taking shape across Europe,” she said in reference to Thursday’s meeting of EU ministers in Dublin.