Proposed law to amend peacekeeper ‘triple lock’ to be brought to Cabinet

The triple lock requires that any deployment of more than 12 Irish troops on overseas peacekeeping missions be approved by the Government, Dáil Éireann, and the UN Security Council.

Mr Harris said he is proposing to increase the threshold for deployment without triggering the triple lock from 12 to 50 troops.

He told RTÉ’s This Week programme: “The idea of the UN Security Council having a veto on where we deploy Irish troops in relation to peacekeeping is something that needs to be modified.

“The UN Security Council hasn’t found itself in a position to authorise a peacekeeping mission since 2014. I think everybody in this country is very proud of the work done by the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann overseas in peacekeeping but we cannot have a situation where any one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Russia or anybody else, can veto that decision.”

He insisted the proposed changes have “nothing whatsoever to do with military neutrality” and reaffirmed that Ireland remains militarily neutral.

“We are removing in all circumstances the idea of the UN Security Council having a mandate,” he said, adding that new legislation would provide “legal clarity” to ensure Ireland could evacuate its citizens from hostile areas when necessary.

On whether the changes would allow Irish soldiers to participate in EU or NATO missions, Mr Harris responded: “In EU missions, yes. Not in NATO missions, we are not a member of NATO.”

When asked if Irish peacekeepers could be deployed to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal, Mr Harris said: “If there was peace or a peace agreement, I don’t think Ireland can recuse itself from being willing to consider playing a part in a peacekeeping mission. But we’re not at that point yet.”

Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney criticised the proposals, calling them “an attack on our neutrality” and urging the Government to reconsider.

She said the changes would grant “almost free rein to the Government of the day” in deploying Irish troops to EU or NATO missions and argued that UN mandates give legitimacy which will be “impossible to replace from elsewhere.”

“There is currently an attack on the UN with Elon Musk this weekend stating the US should leave the institution,” she said. “The proposed plans from the Government are a further undermining of the UN.

“The UN undoubtedly needs to be reformed, but the Government should be doing that from the inside instead of throwing in the towel.”

A Government source defended the changes, saying they would reinforce Ireland’s ability to pursue an independent foreign policy. The source insisted there is no intention to alter Ireland’s military neutrality or its relationship with the UN.

“Should there be future peace support operations, for example in either Ukraine or Gaza, Ireland couldn’t even consider participation unless they had a UN mandate, which in both these cases would be unlikely,” the source added.