Committee chaired by Mayo TD fails to recommend removal of Triple Lock
A Sinn Féin TD has said the public’s commitment to Ireland’s military neutrality has been made clear during the Oireachtas committee’s scrutiny of the Defence (Amendment) Bill – commonly referred to as the Triple Lock Bill.
Deputy Conway-Walsh, who chairs the Oireachtas Defence and National Security Committee, made the comments following the publication of the committee’s pre-legislative scrutiny report on the proposed legislation.
The report contains 25 recommendations but notably does not include any proposal to remove the Triple Lock, a key mechanism that requires UN, government, and Dáil approval before deploying Irish troops overseas.
“The committee spent the last eight weeks scrutinising this bill,” said Deputy Conway-Walsh. “One of my regrets as chair is that we weren’t afforded more time to examine it in greater depth, especially given the significant public concern surrounding the government’s proposals.”
Despite the limited timeframe, the committee found that a wide range of Defence Forces activities abroad are already permitted outside the scope of the Triple Lock. These include secondments to international bodies, training exercises, ceremonial duties, humanitarian missions, and fact-finding deployments.
“It’s important that the public understands that the Triple Lock does not restrict these types of activities,” Deputy Conway-Walsh explained. “Nothing in the current framework prevents investment in or reform of our Defence Forces.”
She also criticised the government’s description of the bill as a “modification” of the Triple Lock, saying, “The report makes clear that what’s proposed isn’t an adjustment, it would amount to its removal.”
The scrutiny process drew hundreds of public submissions and featured evidence from a broad range of stakeholders. While government members disagreed with the concerns raised, the committee as a whole, including both government and opposition representatives acknowledged the central importance of neutrality to Irish people.
“There is no ambiguity about this,” said Deputy Conway-Walsh. “It is the will of the Irish public to see our neutrality protected. The government must respect that and act accordingly.”