Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 November 2014
20. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Defence his views that the triple lock system is still a suitable mechanism to determine our peacekeeping operations in view of the dysfunctional nature of the UN Security Council; his plans to ensure Ireland has greater level of control on our peacekeeping missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41254/14]
View answerThe Green Paper on Defence, which was published in 2013, considered the relevance of the “triple lock” mechanism in a world where defence and security threats are becoming more interconnected, more diverse, less visible and less predictable than heretofore. The Green Paper noted the requirement for a UN resolution as part of the “triple lock” reflects the central importance of the UN in granting legitimacy to peace support and crisis management missions. The Green Paper also noted that at the same time, the “triple lock” also constitutes a self imposed, legal constraint on the State’s sovereignty in making decisions about the use of its armed forces. The Green Paper recognised that on balance the advantages of retaining the “triple lock” mechanism can be seen as outweighing the disadvantages. Nonetheless it is an issue worthy of discussion in advance of the adoption of the next White Paper on Defence which will include an updated assessment of the future defence and security environment.
The benefits of a formal legislative requirement for UN authorisation must be weighed against the possibility that this constraint may lead to an inability to act on occasions where there is a pressing moral or security imperative and overwhelming international support to do so, but where UN sanction is not forthcoming, in circumstances where a veto is exercised by a permanent member of the Security Council acting in its own national interests.
It is acknowledged that there is substantial public support for the triple lock mechanism and that, in practical terms, due to the size of our Defence Forces, the State only has a limited capacity to contribute to UN Missions. In real terms Ireland has, in the context of its size, punched above its weight and made a valuable, disproportionate contribution and, save for the example of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, has not been excluded from peace keeping engagements by the triple lock. On balance, the advantages of retaining the mechanism can be seen as outweighing the disadvantages. Having said that, it is an issue worthy of discussion in advance of the adoption of a new White Paper.
