Local TD joins Leila Doolan on her Neutrality march from Shannon Airport to Dublin

Independent Republican TD Brian Stanley joined Lelia Doolan on Neutrality walk through Laois.

He described 91-year-old Lelia as inspirational on her walk from Shannon Airport to Dublin, to highlight the importance of our Military Neutrality and the use of Shannon Airport by US Military planes.

“Our neutrality is being eroded with the Government’s plan to abolish the “Triple Lock”. The Triple Lock is key to maintaining our neutrality as it means that before Irish troops can be deployed overseas it needs UN, Government and Dail approval.

Neutrality has been a core issue since Independence and polls have consistently showed that the majority of people in this State wish to maintain our Military Neutrality. In fact, the referendums on Nice and Lisbon Treaties failed over 2 decades ago due to concerns over the threat to neutrality. This forced the Government to attach Solemn National Declaration’s on behalf of the people of this State to both of those treaties to get them passed on the second occasion.

This was to guarantee neutrality and the maintenance of the Triple Lock. If the Government move to abolish the Triple Lock now it will of course undermine not just our neutrality but also our democracy. It will pave the way for Irish troops to be deployed wherever the EU decide and that will be the major powers in Europe such as Germany and France that will hold sway.

I am urging people to make their views known to Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and to urge them to uphold our military neutral position”.