The Irish people ought to have a referendum on the Government's proposals to get rid of the triple lock. The Taoiseach has said in the past he is tired of being reminded of his comments that the triple lock is at the core of our neutrality but I do not think it is any harm to remind people that was his position. The Taoiseach has also acknowledged in the past that concessions in relation to neutrality were essential to the government passing the Lisbon treaty the second time around. Given those commitments were made, relied on and that the Taoiseach has acknowledged they were relied on, this should be put to the people.

Talking to people in Cork over the weekend, and people have all sorts of different views on the triple lock, the primary issue they had on such a fundamental change to our foreign policy, neutrality and defence policy was that there ought to be a referendum.

The Deputy is wrong there. He is incredible in his capacity to present a false narrative and almost make it a truism. We have never had a referendum on something that is not part of the Constitution.

There is nothing to prevent it.

We have never had one, so the idea we would have a referendum that neither amends, deletes nor adds to the Constitution is undermining this House.

No, it is not.

It is, because we have parliamentary democracy, which means governments can legislate.

That is for the birds.

When we passed the Nice referendum, we made a constitutional change which prevented Ireland from being part of an EU mutual defence pact. That is in the Constitution. That is what we agreed back at Nice, not anything else.

There is nothing stopping this.

The Deputy is saying we want to be part of a warmongering Europe. We cannot be. There is a constitutional prohibition on that, but the Deputy never says that because he is just interested in false narratives.

Hear, hear.

Third, I was the person who negotiated Lisbon. We amended the European defence Act-----

You relied on that, and you went to the Irish people on the strength of that.

Deputy Whitmore is next. The Taoiseach's time is up. The Deputy is on her feet.

I was principally responsible for that debate. I know what was agreed. There were a hell of a lot of issues there, including getting our Commissioner back, if you remember the posters - or did you oppose that as well?

Including that.

Deputy Whitmore is on her feet.

I would say you campaigned against that

Through the Chair and with respect for the Chair's direction. The Deputy is on her feet.

The promises you made are the ones you are reneging on.

I apologise, a Cheann Comhairle.