Bríd Smith Challenges Government on Neutrality, Triple Lock
Bríd Smith challenged the government on neutrality, the triple lock and the presence of foreign military flights. She said she opposes both the US Empire and its Russian-China rivals, pressed the government to bring the bill to end the triple lock before the Dáil, and questioned inspections of US Air Force C-17 aircraft that carried UN General Commander Eric Corilla to Tel Aviv.
Main stance
Bríd Smith stated she opposes both imperialist powers that seek to divide the world into spheres of influence, naming the US Empire and their Russian-China rivals and rejecting policies that would align Ireland with either bloc.
Triple lock and timing
She pressed the government to say when it will bring the bill to end the triple lock before the Dáil, arguing it appears unlikely to happen before the Euro and local elections and urging that, if not put to a referendum, it be made a clear general election issue.
Neutrality and Fianna Fáil
Smith challenged Fianna Fáil to publish a new manifesto if it intends to abandon neutrality, warning that ditching neutrality would send the "sons and daughters of working class people" to fight abroad and saying the government has not answered where it would send them.
Questions on military flights
She raised concerns over US Air Force C-17 aircraft that transported UN General Commander Eric Corilla to Tel Aviv, asking how officials can know such planes are not carrying weapons or bombs when they are not inspected and noting that the Shannad will deal with the motion today.
Parliamentary acknowledgements
She thanked opposition colleagues for their contributions in the debate and handed the floor to Deputy Boy Barrett at the conclusion of her remarks.
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Thank you Look, you obviously were here for the speech earlier on but you chose to ignore it. You talk about hypocrisy but your hypocrisy has been really shown and thrown open today. And I'll just repeat, in my speech I said I am absolutely clear that I oppose both imperialist powers that seek to divide the world into their respective spheres of influence. I openly oppose the US Empire and I equally oppose their Russian-China rivals. Maybe you are deaf, maybe you choose not to hear it but what you did here earlier on was disgraceful. Thankfully you withdrew it. I have a couple of questions that I would like the world to repeat to this government. When are you going to bring the bill to end the triple lock before the Dáil? Because clearly it is not going to happen before the Euro and the local elections for very good reasons. Because you know it would make you unpopular. If you are going to bring it before the general election then make it a general election issue if you will not give the people a referendum. And give us a new manifesto from Fianna Fáil which says we are ditching our neutrality. We will bring the sons and daughters of working class people to engage in combat in any part of the world that we choose. And I repeat that question. Where do you want to send the sons and daughters of Irish people to take part in combat? And you cannot and have not answered it. And lastly I think an important question was asked here today that needs to be repeated. Do you know and how do you know that US Air Force aircraft like the C-17 which carried a UN General Commander Eric Corilla into Tel Aviv to engage in discussions with the Israeli military. How do you know that those planes are not carrying weapons or bombs? Because you do not inspect them. And the Shannad will deal with that motion today and we fully support it. I want to thank all on the opposition here today who spoke and to give Deputy Boy Barrett an opportunity to speak. Deputy Boy Barrett Deputy Boy Barrett
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