Participation by Irish troops in specific EU battlegroup operations could be delayed because of the "triple-lock" requirement but there was no plan to change that policy, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern told the Dáil.
Participation by Irish troops in specific EU battlegroup operations could be delayed because of the "triple-lock" requirement but there was no plan to change that policy, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern told the Dáil.
The triple-lock mechanism requires UN, Government and Dáil approval before Irish troops take part in any international operation, and Mr Ahern said the Government was "adamant" that triple approval be sought "because of the discomfort Irish people feel about Irish troops engaging in conflicts without UN authorisation".
Ireland proposed participating in a battlegroup "largely because we have been exhorted to do so by the UN, particularly by the secretary general Kofi Annan".
Fine Gael's foreign affairs spokesman Bernard Allen said there was "potential for major embarrassment for Ireland" that it would be unable to respond to a request because "it is paralysed by the triple lock".
He said the concept of a battlegroup was one that would respond rapidly to global crises. But "in the event that a call is made to send the battlegroup to respond quickly to a crisis, Ireland will be unable to take part" because it would take between one and three months to obtain the triple-lock mandate.
The Minister accepted this might cause some difficulties with particular requests "but it is the current position of this Government, and I cannot envisage any change in this operation".
If it did cause difficulties "other countries which do not have this requirement must step in. We, however, have this requirement."
Discussions are expected to be completed within months between the Defence Forces and Sweden about Irish participation in a rapid reaction battlegroup. The Swedes are the "framework" nation for the Nordic battlegroup that Ireland is likely to take part in, which will go on standby in 2008.
Mr Ahern said Mr Allen was saying one thing while the two parties with which his party proposed to enter government with held "completely different views on this matter".
However Mr Allen said: "We should not take for granted that we know the view of the people on this matter when it has never been tested."
Mr Ahern agreed with Labour's spokesman Michael D Higgins that instead of the term "battlegroup" they would rather use the term "rapid reaction in relation to humanitarian" intervention, which was the term used by the UN.
Mr Ahern said "battlegroup" was the common term used throughout the EU.
