180. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the Government has obtained a clear democratic mandate from the Irish electorate to remove the Triple Lock, given that the mechanism was introduced as a political guarantee underpinning previous EU Treaty referenda; and if not, to set out the rationale for proceeding without a referendum. [62659/25]
Topics / Military Neutrality
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsMilitary Neutrality
82 questions from 30 TDs, between 18 February 2025 and 28 July 2026.
82
questions
49 written, 33 oral
30
TDs have asked
9
parties and groups
Independents counted together
4
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 8 |
| March 2025 | 2 |
| April 2025 | 3 |
| May 2025 | 10 |
| June 2025 | 17 |
| July 2025 | 0 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 5 |
| October 2025 | 3 |
| November 2025 | 13 |
| December 2025 | 0 |
| January 2026 | 0 |
| February 2026 | 1 |
| March 2026 | 4 |
| April 2026 | 0 |
| May 2026 | 3 |
| June 2026 | 7 |
| July 2026 | 6 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 0 |
| October 2026 | 0 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
181. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to detail any proposed alternative oversight or democratic accountability mechanism that would replace the UN authorisation element of the Triple Lock; the way the Government intends to ensure that future overseas deployments remain transparent, justified, and consistent with Ireland’s longstanding policy of military neutrality. [62660/25]
182. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the proposed removal of the Triple Lock is connected to commitments made to EU or NATO partners, including within the framework of PESCO or the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy. [62661/25]
183. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to assess the likely impact of removing the Triple Lock on Ireland’s international reputation as a neutral, independent, and peace-focused State; and to provide any Departmental analysis or external advice received in this regard. [62662/25]
208. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views the Government must recognise our stance on being neutral; and if there are any changes on neutrality it will have to be adjudicated on by the people of Ireland by a referendum. [60837/25]
7. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will outline the way in which Ireland will balance its policy of military neutrality with increased engagement in EU defence co-operation during its 2026 EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60416/25]
43. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide an update on his plans to introduce legislation abolishing the triple lock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60397/25]
47. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will report on his engagements with regard to the impact his proposed removal of the triple lock neutrality protection will have on Irish neutrality. [60472/25]
50. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on whether NATO warships carrying out drills with the Naval Service compromises Irish neutrality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59245/25]
130. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Irish neutrality is now defined only as formal non-membership of NATO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49147/25]
151. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to confirm the Government's position with regard to our long-standing policy of military neutrality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48825/25]
230. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the plans with regard to the triple lock; and if this will be retained. [52687/25]
7. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to clarify the precise change to the triple lock that recently announced legislation will result in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48880/25]
11. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his plans for the triple lock given recent comments by the Minister for Health and by other members of the Government proposing to scrap or undermine it, despite it being the expressed will of the people to retain it. [48759/25]
12. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he plans to remove the triple lock by the end of 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49151/25]
39. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide details of the Government’s decision to remove the triple lock; if the UN General Assembly can sanction peacekeeping missions by bypassing a veto at the UN Security Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49268/25]
55. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the proposed changes to the triple lock will impact Ireland's policy of being militarily neutral; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48881/25]
2. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the human rights monitoring mechanism, if any, planned for missions without a UN mandate in light of the proposed removal of the triple lock, given the potential lack human rights monitoring at UN level in missions without a UN mandate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31235/25]
4. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will outline his proposals to remove the triple lock neutrality protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31322/25]
8. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the basis on which the decision has been taken to legislate for the removal of the triple lock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31260/25]
12. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he accepts that abolishing the triple lock was not necessary to release humanitarian deployments or secure the evacuation of Irish citizens abroad, as heard at a recent meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Defence and National Security; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30282/25]
24. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he has considered the concerns raised by academics and Defence Forces personnel (details supplied) regarding the proposed removal or amendment of the triple lock mechanism; the way in which such changes would impact Ireland’s long-standing policy of military neutrality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30707/25]
30. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to outline his Department's understanding of the distinction between 'peacekeeping' and 'peace-enforcement' missions under the UN framework; how this will be reflected in the amending legislation he is bringing forward with respect to the triple lock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30078/25]
31. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the avenues that will be available to the people of Ireland to oppose the sending of Irish troops on “coalitions of the willing” if the triple lock is abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31228/25]
33. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the State will be in violation of international law if it abolishes the triple lock and does not withdraw Ireland’s national declaration to the Nice treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31231/25]