Minister Eamon Ryan defended the so-called “triple lock” on Irish neutrality after senior coalition ministers Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney expressed support for changes at Fine Gael’s Ardfheis over the weekend.
Asked whether he could support such a move, he told RTE Radio 1′s Morning Ireland programme: “No, I think the current system supports our country well. I think our position as a neutral country in the world actually gives us greater strength. I think the triple lock doesn’t stop us engaging where we do have to engage.
“Our armed forces have a critical role and have done huge, brilliant service for many places around the world. So, I don’t think it is restricting us. It gives us strength. I don’t think we should change it.”
The “triple lock” refers to the requirement that Irish military interventions have a UN Security Council or General Assembly resolution; a decision of Government and a Dáil resolution.
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Challenged over whether Russia could veto Irish troop deployments using its position on the UN Security Council, Mr Ryan said that had “always been the case”. He defended the State’s response to the war in Ukraine in spite of such restrictions.
“We are sending every assistance and support we can,” he said. “We will have at the end of the year 70,000 people from Ukraine here. That is a huge help to the people of Ukraine. We have been sending non offensive equipment. Sending support to try and get their electricity system back up and running.
“We don’t always have to send arms. That is not our strength. Our strength is in international multi lateral co-operation. Let’s stick with that.”
Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Coveney had said that dropping the triple lock would be “sensible”, and that reliance on UN approval for actions was providing Russia with an effective veto.
““I don’t regard actually changing the triple lock, should that happen, as a change to Irish neutrality at all. In fact it is simply allowing us to make decisions for Ireland,” he said.