22/10/2026
❌️ 🪖 📃 The Dáil has passed the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2026 at its second stage; a piece of legislation designed to abandon the Triple Lock. This is another shameful betrayal of the will of the Irish people, a political tradition that predates the state, and the long-standing policy of Irish neutrality.
Abandoning the Triple Lock is designed to move the state away from engaging with peacekeeping based on international consensus — something which, up until now, has contributed to a reputation of trustworthiness abroad — in favour of cosying up to NATO and European military initiatives. The price for a pat on the head from the warmongers of Washington, Brussels, and London will be paid in the blood of Irishmen and Irishwomen. They will be sent abroad to fight and die not for the cause of peace but imperialism and profit.
A key talking point from the government centres around replacing the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon with a European Union alternative. The reality, however, is that such a mission would essentially serve as a European intervention in support of Israel's occupation of Lebanon by attempting to disarm resistance forces. This would constitute a major divergence from the role played by Irish peacekeepers for which they are widely held in high regard.
Scraping the Triple Lock has nothing to do with defending Ireland. It is a distraction from the ongoing recruitment and retention crisis owing to poor pay and conditions within the Defence Forces. A key example is the inability of the Irish Naval Service to deploy more than half of its eight-ship fleet due to manpower shortages. Minister for Defence Helen McEntee recently announced that the personnel target of 11,500 for 2028 would not be achieved. This is what the government should be addressing in terms of defence.
The argument that abandoning the Triple Lock is somehow about ensuring that Russia or China cannot veto Irish peacekeeping efforts through the UN Security Council doesn't wash. Under the Triple Lock, a resolution from the UN General Assembly approving — not even just itself establishing — such missions suffices to send Irish troops abroad.
It is not too late for politicians to do the right thing. The bill must pass further stages before it becomes law. In any case, the Irish people must stand against this attempt to abandon our neutrality. It is not in the interest of the Irish working class, the defence of Ireland, or the cause of peace for Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and their lackeys to throw out the Triple Lock.
