Irish Neutrality League to protest triple lock changes upon relaunch
Currently, the triple lock mechanism only allows deployment of 12 or more troops where there is a UN mandate either from the UN Security Council or UN General Assembly, Irish Government approval, and a Dáil resolution.
A group of opposition parties is set to relaunch the Irish Neutrality League with a view to mass protests against changes to the triple lock neutrality system.
It is understood that the opposition parties of the left in the Dáil held a meeting in the past week to discuss plans to relaunch the organisation in the face of government plans to restructure the Irish neutrality framework.
The league's relaunch would begin with public events across the country with a view to larger protests on a day of action. Opposition sources said that they believed that a combined effort would send a stronger message than individual parties opposing the Government.
Currently, the triple lock mechanism only allows deployment of 12 or more troops where there is a UN mandate either from the UN Security Council or UN General Assembly, Irish Government approval, and a Dáil resolution.
Under the draft legislation, it is proposed to increase the number of troops who are sent on peacekeeping missions from 12 to 50.
The Government recently took the first steps in dismantling the triple lock, saying that it could no longer leave it up to the UN to decide where Irish troops are sent.
Tánaiste Simon Harris brought forward the legislation in early March which would mean the UN Security Council would no longer have a role in sanctioning members of the Defence Forces to take part in overseas peacekeeping missions.
Mr Harris stressed that a move to change the triple lock to a double lock will not impact on this country's neutrality, but added: "I am determined to move on this issue, and this shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody."
The bill is also seeking to give legislative clarity to operations where Irish citizens require assistance abroad — such as what happened in Kabul in 2021, along with Sudan in 2023.
However, opposition parties have broadly opposed the moves. Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty said that the proposal was "very dangerous".
“The issue here is that when you get rid of the UN’s mandate, the UN being the multilateral organisation that we all should be trying to ensure is operating and is fit for purpose, when you get rid of that mandate you allow the government of the day to decide which deployment of troops you want to be involved in."
