Legislation that will remove the requirement for UN approval when deploying members of the Defence Forces outside the State has been published.
The Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025 will remove the Triple Lock when the Defence Forces are serving as part of an international force.
This force will operate for the purposes of peacekeeping, conflict prevention and strengthening international security consistent with the principles of the United Nations Charter.
The international forces would be organised by one of the following organisatons: the UN, the Organsiaton for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the EU or any regional arrangement or body that operates in a manner consistent with the UN Charter and international law.
The legislation states that a contingent of the Defence Forces can be dispatched outside the State where there is Government approval along with a resolution passed by the Dáil.
However, a subsequent Dáil resolution is not required when deploying a replacement contingent.
A Dáil resolution will also not be necessary when the Defence Forces contingent deploying abroad has 50 members or less.
The Oireachtas Committee on Defence and National Security is expected to begin its examination of the bill tomorrow.
People Before Profit's TD Paul Murphy has criticised the move to end the Triple Lock, saying that it was a "defining onslaught" on Ireland's neutrality. He said that Ireland's neutrality needs to be defended.
