This article first appeared on Galway Bay FM

The Tanáiste has told a Galway TD that she does not “own” military neutrality.

It’s after Catherine Connolly raised the planned reform of the triple lock system in the Dáil – and questioned the motive and reasoning behind that decision.

The system means that Government, Dáil and UN approval are all needed for Irish troops to be deployed overseas.

But it’s argued that the system means the five permanent members of the security council have the ability to block our sovereign decision to deploy peacekeeping forces.

And Tanaiste Simon Harris said people have to stop conflating the triple lock system with military neutrality.