Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and congratulate him on the great work he is doing in Europe. In one way, I call to mind that headline in The Skibbereen Eagleof having its eye on the tsar of Russia. However, as a member of the European Union and being represented by the Minister of State there, Ireland can have a major influence on policy within the European Union towards Ukraine. After all is said and done, one can talk about Hawaii, Kosovo or wherever one likes but the basic principle is international law and that the integrity and unity of a country must be respected. People in this State are familiar with what happens historically when the territorial unity and integrity of a country is not respected.