Legislation to abolish the triple lock is included in the spring legislative programme. The Nice treaty would not have passed in a referendum the second time around without the national declaration promising to retain the triple lock the Government lodged alongside it. Will the Government hold a referendum on the triple lock before attempting to pass legislation here to abolish it? Is the plan to force abolition through - relying on the majority provided by Deputy Lowry - and then quietly withdraw Ireland's national declaration from international law? At the weekend, the Taoiseach said he would have no difficulty whatsoever in bringing to the democratic Parliament of this Republic a proposal to remove the triple lock. Does he include in this idea compliance with what is left of that parliament's democratic procedures? Will he commit not to apply a guillotine in respect of any part of the debate on this legislation? Will he commit to full pre-legislative scrutiny and to not ramming this through the House to avoid debate?

At the weekend, I said very clearly that I did not believe Ireland should allow an imperialistic aggressor nation a veto on Irish troops' participation in peacekeeping missions. That is essentially our position. That is why the triple lock needs amendment in the context of how the world has evolved geopolitically and of the stance taken by permanent members of the Security Council. In our view, an aggressor nation like Russia should not have a veto on our participation in peacekeeping.

Does the Taoiseach commit not to apply a guillotine? Can we have a commitment that there will not be a guillotine on debate on the triple lock?

The Deputy has had his time.

It is very revealing that the Taoiseach is not answering that question. He will not even commit to the democratic procedures of this Parliament.

With respect to your colleagues-----

It is outrageous that he will not even commit not to guillotine debate.