Neutrality a ‘strength’ but UN mandate for peacekeeping ‘not working’ – Tánaiste

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, Press Association

Tánaiste Simon Harris has said that peacekeeping and peace enforcement under a UN mandate is “just not working”.

He was speaking as legislation is being considered by Cabinet that would change the “triple lock” mechanism for sending peacekeepers abroad.

Ireland cannot deploy more than 12 soldiers overseas for a peacekeeping mission without it being approved by a vote of the UN Security Council, by the government and by the Dáil parliament.

Asked if there was a risk to removing UN approval being required for deploying Irish peacekeeping missions, Harris said “all of this detail can be teased through, because government does want to make sure that there is a degree of oversight here”.

He said Ireland’s military neutrality is “a national asset” and a “strength”, but the main issue was with the UN Security Council veto on sending Irish soldiers on peacekeeping missions.

“Does anybody in their right mind actually believe that there isn’t a need for a peacekeeping mission in Lebanon right now?” he said on his way into Cabinet on Tuesday.

“I don’t. I absolutely believe the peacekeepers in Lebanon are needed now more than ever.

“But because the UN Security Council won’t renew the mandate, they won’t be there, they won’t be there under that mandate into the future, that’s a challenge.

“What you’re already seeing is the beginning of decisions being made by other countries about where our men and women in uniform can go, and I don’t think that’s right.”