Sinn Féin in call for referendum on triple lock

Updated / Tuesday, 10 Nov 2026 10:47

A group of Sinn Féin members have held a protest outside Government Buildings demanding a referendum on the Triple Lock.

They held banners stating "Defend Ireland's Neutrality."

Sinn Feín TD for Cork Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said the Government "is determined to push ahead with its plans to end the Triple Lock, undermining Ireland's neutrality."

He said the Government must put the decision to the people.

"What the Government is proposing to do is reckless, it is dangerous, it is foolish. It undermines the reputation we have internationally and it goes completely against the will of the Irish people."

Mr Ó Laoghaire said his party is demanding a referendum.

Minister for Defence Helen McEntee said Sinn Féin is "claiming falsely that changing the Triple Lock or amending it will impact Ireland's neutrality."

She said: "There is very clearly an article in our Constitution that states very clearly if the European Union, if the Council were to agree on a defence arrangement, that we would have to vote here as a country and we would have to agree to it."

She accused Sinn Féin of speaking out of both sides of its mouth, saying that repeatedly during debates TDs have said they want Ireland as a sovereign country to have responsibility for its own foreign and security policy and "yet at the same time they think its ok to allow five other countries - Russia, China, US, France and the UK - to have any kind of say" around Ireland's troops.

"I think they need to be clear with people as there is a lot of misinformation and falsehoods being put out," the minister added said