Clare’s Minister of State claims amendments to the Triple Lock will ensure Ireland is no longer ‘shackled to the will of Putin’.
It comes as legislation to abolish the measure passed a first vote in the Dáil last night.
The Defence (Amendment) Bill passed its Second Stage by 79 votes to 71, meaning the legislation will now go to Committee stage.
The Bill must still pass further stages in the Dáil and Seanad and be signed into law by the President, before it can take effect.
The Proposed changes would remove the requirement for UN Security Council mandate for overseas deployments, with Government arguing this would block countries such as Russia and China from vetoing Ireland’s participation in international missions.
The legislation would also increase the number of Defence Forces personnel who can be deployed overseas without a Dáil resolution, from 12 to 50.
Tulla-based Fianna Fáil Minister of State Timmy Dooley says the move is nothing more than a technical adjustment.
Opposition parties say the legislation should have been put to a referendum, claiming the removal of the Triple Lock undermines Irish neutrality.
Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould is describing the move as ‘one of the most major decisions’ this generation of TDs will make.
He’s told the Dail that history will look back at this moment.
Listen to the full interview here:
