Gerard P. Craughwell: Triple Lock Caused Operation Irene Pullout
Gerard P. Craughwell says the triple lock forced the withdrawal of Irish Defence Forces personnel from Operation Irene, effective 24 May, and is calling for urgent legislative change. He congratulates Sean Coyne, announces leader interviews, and frames the withdrawal as a symptom of a wider loss of sovereign control over troop dispatch.
Gerard P. Craughwell opens by congratulating Sean Kyne and noting internal party arrangements for leader interviews. He then shifts to a pointed critique: Operation Irene has been compromised because Irish service people cannot continue to serve under the current triple lock process.
Craughwell stresses that the withdrawal was mandated by law and not optional, dismissing suggestions it was avoidable because of small numbers. He specifies the withdrawal took effect on 24 May and warns of further reductions in overseas deployments unless the rules change.
He challenges colleagues who have defended the triple lock and Ireland's neutrality, arguing it leaves decisions about Irish troops to foreign leaders. He invokes the position of Sean Clancy, the current chair of the European military, to underline the embarrassment of an Irish general unable to deploy his countrymen.
Craughwell urges that legislation on the triple lock be brought forward before the parliamentary break to end what he calls an infantile and damaging process. He frames the change as necessary to restore practical sovereign control over Defence Forces deployments.
Immediate claim
Gerard P. Craughwell opens by congratulating Sean Kyne and noting internal party arrangements for leader interviews. He then shifts to a pointed critique: Operation Irene has been compromised because Irish service people cannot continue to serve under the current triple lock process.
Legal constraint and timing
Craughwell stresses that the withdrawal was mandated by law and not optional, dismissing suggestions it was avoidable because of small numbers. He specifies the withdrawal took effect on 24 May and warns of further reductions in overseas deployments unless the rules change.
Sovereignty argument and criticism
He challenges colleagues who have defended the triple lock and Ireland's neutrality, arguing it leaves decisions about Irish troops to foreign leaders. He invokes the position of Sean Clancy, the current chair of the European military, to underline the embarrassment of an Irish general unable to deploy his countrymen.
Demand for action
Craughwell urges that legislation on the triple lock be brought forward before the parliamentary break to end what he calls an infantile and damaging process. He frames the change as necessary to restore practical sovereign control over Defence Forces deployments.
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Transcript
Look, I too would like to be associated with congratulations to Sean Coyne and Saturday and Sunday were in nail-biting days. It shows the value of the single transferable vote and I'm delighted for Sean and for his family. A more decent man you couldn't meet. We will be holding interviews for the position of leader over the coming days and CVs to me before the close of business this evening. To my colleagues who have spent their time in both houses crying about the triple lock and Ireland's neutrality and all of that nonsense, yesterday was the start of the collapse of Ireland's peacekeeping missions overseas. Operation Irene has ceased and, sorry, it hasn't ceased, it's still continuing but Irish service people cannot serve anymore. They were withdrawn with effect of the 24th of May and watch over the coming months as we withdraw more and more of our Defence Forces people back home because of an infantile process known as the triple lock. Who in this house would go to their next-door neighbour and ask can I leave my husband or my wife out for a drink tonight? Who would ask can we leave the children out of some stranger? Yet we're quite happy to allow the English King, the President of the United States, the President of France and the President of Russia decide where we will send our troops. Isn't it time as a sovereign nation we grew up? Can you imagine the position of Sean Clancy, the current chairman of the European military? An Irish general who cannot allow or cannot see his own countrymen serve overseas. This nonsense has to stop. It really does. People are saying to me today there was less than 12 people so they didn't have to withdraw them. Check the law, they had no choice, they had to withdraw them. I'd like to see the legislation on the triple lock come in here before the break and let's put an end to this nonsense.