The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence has said that he does not believe a referendum is necessary to change the Triple Lock.
Simon Harris was facing questions in the Dáil this morning, when members of the Opposition called for a referendum on the issue.
The Government has committed to the issue of changing the Triple Lock to a Double Lock, by removing the requirement of the support of the UN Security Council to deploy more than 12 Irish peacekeeping troops overseas.
Minister Harris said: "I don’t believe we run back to the Irish people with a referendum on every piece of legislation ... this is not an attempt to change Ireland's position on military neutrality, it is an issue to change how we dispatch peacekeeping troops overseas."
"In parallel to removing the UN mandate requirement, text will be included in [the proposed] bill, which will require the mandate of future operations be consistent with and adhere to the principles of the UN Charter and international law," Mr Harris said.
The Tánaiste said he accepted that he would never reach agreement with Sinn Féin on the broad policy, but he was "determined to bring forward legislation in this area".
He said he expected to have the bill ready "within this year".
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said the results of the recent Presidential Election showed that the majority of the Irish people want to retain the Triple Lock.
"One candidate supported the Triple Lock, the other candidate opposed it, and the candidate who defended the Triple Lock got 63% of the vote," he said.
Sinn Féin's Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said rather than relying on the result of the Presidential Election, which he described as "the best parameter we have," he said "there is a better way of defining public opinion, if you are so willing, we are certainly willing to put this to the people and have a clear question asked of them and get a clear answer."
Minister Harris said he was "very happy to tease through the detail in relation to the UN Charter and how the legislation can look at it".
But he said he believed the majority of the Irish people "will come with us in relation to this issue" saying they can differentiate between military neutrality and reducing the Triple Lock to a Double Lock.
Farage comparison 'dog whistle', says Harris
Simon Harris has said it is a "dog whistle" to compare him to Nigel Farage.
Social Democrats TD Garry Gannon recently said the Tánaiste and members of the Government were following a "playbook" of politics similar to Mr Farage, the leader of Reform UK, and US President Donald Trump.
Mr Gannon made the remark after Mr Harris said migration into Ireland was "too high".
Labour MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin also described Mr Harris's comments as "dog whistling".
Today, Mr Harris said migration and diversity were "good" things but reiterated his view that immigration had "risen at too high a rate".
Engaging with Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O'Callaghan during Leaders' Questions, Mr Harris said: "You haven't said it, but I do think some of the comments from your party this week were disappointing.
"Because to accuse someone of dog whistling at the same time calling them Nigel Farage, which is a dog whistle, isn't a mature debate, when people want to, from other political parties, immediately just call me names for stating a fact, in my view, that migration has risen at too high a rate."
Mr O'Callaghan emphasised sectors in Ireland that had higher proportions of migrant workers as he challenged the Tanaiste to outline where he would like to see reductions in migration.
He told Mr Harris that his "words matter", and said: "Where misinformation is spread, we must challenge it.
"Where there are attempts to sow hate and division, we must build cohesion.
"Tánaiste, leadership means bringing calm to a debate, not inflaming it.
"You said that migration outside of the number of international protection applicants is too high.
"What I'd like to know is, what sectors will you be targeting to reduce the number of migrant workers?"
He added: "Will you be targeting multinationals, pharmaceutical and tech companies? You know well that these sectors provide a huge amount of employment and taxation that funds our public services.
"Will you be targeting the health and care sectors? As you know, if it wasn't for migrants working as doctors and nurses and carers, these services would crumble?"
Mr O'Callaghan also raised the food processing, tourism, construction, and hospitality sectors.
Mr Harris replied: "I often say our health service would fall over if it wasn't for people coming - and I take your point that there's many other parts of our economy and our society."
