This afternoon the Government has published legislation to remove the Triple Lock. It has been reported that the Oireachtas Committee on Defence and National Security will begin examination of the bill tomorrow.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said “The Triple Lock is the only legal mechanism that prevents Irish troops being sent on imperialist military interventions. It’s the only legal provision that meant that the Government, that clearly supported the US in its invasion of Iraq and facilitated the invasion of Iraq through its use of Shannon Airport, could not legally send ordinary Irish soldiers to go, fight and die in a war for oil and profit in the Middle East on behalf of the US”.
“Micheál Martin himself described the Triple Lock as being “at the core of our neutrality”. He was right but he is now planning to get rid of it. This is a defining onslaught on our neutrality that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have been planning for a long time”.
“Ireland has crippling housing, infrastructure and disability services crises. Instead of war mongering and spending vast sums on militarisation, we need to defend what is left of Irish neutrality and focus our resources on building the homes, the infrastructure and the public services that we desperately need”.
“It is critically important that the Government attempt to remove the Triple Lock is defeated. The reality is that we do not have the numbers in the Dáil to do this, so only a massive popular mobilisation can face the Government down and prevent Irish troops being dragged into Trump’s, Von Der Leyen’s and Starmer’s wars. These are the people that have enabled and armed Israel. We want nothing to do with their wars”.
“People Before Profit is working tirelessly, as part of the Irish Neutrality League, with political parties on the left, the trade unions and progressive civil society to mobilise vast numbers in the streets on Saturday, 14th June for a show of popular strength to face the government down.”