Triple-lock reform and CUH trolley crisis clash in Dáil

Ms McDonald said European politics was moving toward greater militarisation, deeper defence integration and closer alignment with NATO, and noted that the Government would be joined by the secretary general of NATO. She said: "The European Commission has made that direction very explicit in its rearming Europe plan, which aims to mobilise up to €800 billion for defence investment, including €150 billion in EU-backed loans."

She argued: "That is the context in which this Government is seeking to ditch the triple lock, rush legislation through the Dáil and undermine Irish neutrality with absolutely no reference to the people." She said the Government's position flew in the face of commitments made to Irish voters during the Nice and Lisbon referendum campaigns.

Mr Chambers rejected claims that neutrality would change, saying neutrality meant Ireland could act independently without legal obligations to take part in any conflict. He said: "The Defence (Amendment) Bill will provide for the removal of any foreign veto in relation to the dispatch of Defence Forces members for service outside the State as part of an international peacekeeping force."

He said any change would still require the Government of the day and a majority in the House to approve overseas deployments. He added: "This is a reinforcement of the democratic position of this Parliament, it reinforces the democratic position of the Irish Government, and we have no plan to join any military alliance."

Mr O'Callaghan said: "There were almost 70 patients on trolleys and in chairs at Cork University Hospital, CUH, yesterday morning" He said most of those patients were elderly and raised staffing, patient safety and responsibility in the hospital and HSE region for addressing the conditions.

Mr Chambers said he acknowledged the work of staff in acute hospitals and pointed to significant increases in investment in recent years. He said there was a new control environment in the Department of Health and that the Minister for Health was authorising specific posts where they were strategically placed in the region.

Ms Bacik said: "We are at the eleventh hour again as Government and union representatives return to the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC." She asked the Minister to admit that the Government had underfunded the health service this year and argued hospitals needed a realistic budget to recruit staff and protect patient safety.

Mr Chambers replied: "It really is just such a lazy narrative from the Deputy." He said: "By any metric, the Irish health system is well funded compared internationally. We have a €27.4 billion budget in 2026." Ms Bacik answered that the health service and the HSE were in deficit and that Supplementary Estimates undermined the figures the Minister had quoted, while warning about chronic short-staffing and patient safety at CUH.

Mr Boyd Barrett said: "The gathering of European leaders and, significantly, the head of NATO in Dublin this weekend highlights the misguided priorities of this Government and European leaders." He contrasted what he described as endless money for weapons and militarism with the treatment of workers seeking a pay rise matching inflation and of patients in CUH.

He asked how much was being spent on the Dublin event and whether the Government would support public-sector pay keeping pace with inflation without workers having to strike or threaten strikes. He also pointed to a consultant's warning about conditions for patients at CUH because of staffing and resources.

Mr Chambers said he wanted to respect the confidentiality of the WRC process, adding: "We want to have a credible and fair deal for workers, particularly prioritising the low paid." He said negotiations were ongoing after positive engagement chaired by Kevin Foley and that the Government wanted to see a pay deal for workers.

On defence, he accused Ms McDonald and Mr Boyd Barrett of wanting to leave Irish peacekeeping decisions subject to a veto by other countries, including Russia. Ms McDonald rejected that characterisation during the exchange, leaving the central dispute over whether the reform strengthens parliamentary decision-making or weakens neutrality unresolved in the chamber.