A possible ending of the "triple lock" mechanism before Irish Defence Forces participate in overseas missions may form part of a Green Paper on defence.
The paper will be brought to Cabinet before the summer recess, and will include a review of the lock which requires UN, government and Dáil approval before Defence Force personnel become involved. After consultation a final White Paper on defence, forming the basis for policy over the next decade, will be published by June 2014.
Minister of State for Defence Paul Kehoe told the Dáil "everyone's views on the triple lock will be taken into consideration".
Fianna Fáil defence spokesman Seán Ó Fearghaíl had expressed concern over media reports at the weekend that the Government would examine the triple lock mechanism.
Mr Ó Fearghaíl said Minister for Defence Alan Shatter had never explicitly called for neutrality to be abandoned but "his distaste for neutrality is manifest from virtually all his public utterances".
The Kildare South TD said "Fine Gael has previous history in this regard", introducing legislation 10 years ago to remove the mechanism.
Mr Kehoe said “nobody will be driving anything without the public and the Dáil being very much involved following the publication of the Green Paper”.
