For months, the Government has tried to present abolishing the triple lock as a reasonable and necessary change. Yesterday, however, the Taoiseach made the implications of that decision crystal clear. He argued that Ireland must be free to participate in EU military missions without a United Nations mandate.

That marks a profound shift in Irish defence and foreign policy. It weakens one of the key safeguards underpinning Ireland’s military neutrality. As the Government today rolls out the red carpet for Ursula von der Leyen amid the EU’s increasing militarisation, those safeguards matter now more than ever. Why is the Government so determined to remove one of the fundamental protections of Irish neutrality? Why should the Irish people accept that abandoning the UN safeguard is in Ireland’s national interest?

When the Deputy uses phrases like “rolls out the red carpet” for the President of the European Commission, the mask kind of slips. It is a sharp reminder that Sinn Féin has opposed every single European referendum, including the one to join the European Union. It is a Eurosceptic party; it has been since its foundation. If it were up to Sinn Féin, Ireland would not be in the European Union because it opposed joining it. It is nothing to do with the colour of the carpet, but more to do with Sinn Féin’s politically inward-looking ideology.

In relation to the triple lock, this is an act of sovereignty. We do not believe that the British Prime Minister, the US President, the Chinese President or the Russian President should decide where we send the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann. As someone who has stood with our troops in Lebanon - I do not think Deputy Doherty has - I believe they should be able to continue doing their excellent peacekeeping work there but they cannot because people who are not the Deputy or me have made that decision. If other European countries came together to continue peacekeeping in Lebanon, I would like Ireland to have been involved in that conversation because I am proud of the decades of tradition of the men and women in Óglaigh na hÉireann. However, other people - not me, the Deputy or the Oireachtas - have decided that is not possible.

Removing the triple lock is in the programme for Government. It should not come as a surprise to anyone on any side of the House that we intend to change this legislation because it was voted through as part of the programme for Government. The Minister will take the legislation through this House in the course of this year. It is an important reform.