Local authorities won't follow party line on the triple lock

Although the Irish State is praised for having a strong and healthy democracy, the reality is that there are very few actual democratic mechanisms available to the Irish public — and they are often ignored by the Government when convenient

The triple lock was introduced by successive Irish governments in order to persuade the Irish public to vote for the Nice and Lisbon treaties, both of which were rejected in referenda due to concerns about Ireland joining EU military alliances Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Although the Government presents scrapping the triple lock as a purely technical matter, it has become the subject of heated public debate with many seeing it as an attempt to hollow out Ireland’s neutrality. 

In response, communities across the country are finding ways to voice democratic opposition to the Government’s plans via county councils. This development not only indicates the depth of public commitment to neutrality, but it also highlights important issues about the nature and limits of Irish democracy.