If we take the steps-----

But the point is-----

But it all comes back to this.

It is about a trade agreement. That is why I am talking about trade.

If we do not ratify this trade agreement - this legislation is needed for us to ratify it - the thing collapses. That is in the regulatory impact assessment.

If the thing collapses, all those jobs - not just in Ireland but across the EU - that depend on trade with Canada could be lost. I am sorry it is not fashionable to talk about the fact that we need international agreements that have some elements of compromise and an element of sharing of sovereignty, but they bring huge benefits to us all. The EU itself is the classic example of all that. The Supreme Court has given us guidance as to how to do this in a constitutional way. The Government is obliged to examine and …

No, the benefits are huge. I was criticised for reading the text.

They could be like me. I am a graduate of the law school.

They probably would not want to be.

Every time we have had a referendum, Sinn Féin has campaigned against the very principle outlined in the treaties of the European Union so I do not understand why this has suddenly become a big issue. I have to question the good faith of this amendment. Everything we do is in accordance with the legal advice of the Attorney General, who is more conscious than most of our obligations under EU law. Again, those obligations are massively to our benefit, contrary to the line Sinn Féin has peddled over 50 years of oppos…

Enforcement is a matter for each member state and we are doing that here in our legislation.

I am going to answer this question on behalf of the Minister. I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 122 together. As the Minister has already outlined, this legislation is a key priority for the Government. The commitment to undertake this necessary reform of the triple lock is set out in the programme for Government. The triple lock is a statutory mechanism. It is established under statute and is not a constitutional mechanism. Any change does not require a referendum. The Deputy has criticised NATO leadership …

It is continuing.

It is continuing and most of the member states are part of it. That is the reality. It is continuing to do really important work-----

-----to enforce a UN arms embargo in relation to Libya. By the way, it is also doing very important humanitarian work. That is really important but our people had to leave. We are losing the experience they were gaining on these missions with all of their European colleagues. Their European colleagues are all still out there doing that work today. We are not and that is all the triple lock is about. There is no other country, in the EU or otherwise, that requires the same triple lock we have. This weekend, Dermot A…

It is very clear to anybody who examines the reality of this situation that the triple lock is simply about maintaining our role as peacekeepers. The issue of neutrality is completely different. We are not taking sides with anybody. We enforce the shadow fleet ourselves, by the way, with other countries. Operation Irini continues to do excellent work in accordance with international law. It is enforcing international law in the Mediterranean and doing really important humanitarian work. The circumstances have chang…

The Deputy mentioned Russia, and he became very agitated because this is about Russia. It is about Russia and other countries vetoing proposals at the UN Security Council. Because of that veto power, it was not possible to get a mandate renewed for Operation Irini. In any event, all of the other countries that were enforcing international law and peace and security did not need this mandate. The decision of the Security Council stands.

The statements by Deputy Tóibín about fighting wars are outrageous and without any basis in fact. It is the timeworn theme from those in the opposition to the European Union, completely forgetting about and actually insulting those countries that, after the most devastating war, came together to make peace. This idea that big countries in Europe are going to be making war and we are going to join them-----

It is not true, and the Deputy knows it is not true.

While it is nice to hear a socialist quoting the Fianna Fáil manifesto, and I certainly appreciate the Deputy’s examination of the manifesto-----