John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I do not need to repeat everything I said in terms of my condemnation. I will say that at the outset. I commend all the officials within the Department and all the other Departments who are working tirelessly on this issue and the fallout from it. I want to put that on record. I welcome the fact that the formal process with the International Criminal Court, ICC, has been initiated when we see cluster munitions, vacuum bombs, etc., and the impact that is having on civilians.

I will mention a few specifics. During the week, our ambassador to Moscow, Mr. Brian McElduff, was called in to be reprimanded - I am not sure who he was called in before - because of Ireland's actions and actions taken here by some. I want to get a view from the Minister on what was said. Russia stated that there will be repercussions for countries that have taken actions and imposed sanctions or whatever. Can I get a viewpoint on that?

In terms of the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding, even as we speak, we see more Russian troops starting to move an inch closer to encircle Kyiv. There has been a massive exodus of civilians. I heard the mayor of Kyiv say that 50% of the civilian population has now been displaced, leading to more than 2 million people fleeing over the borders into Moldova, Poland and elsewhere.

There is an awful lot of goodwill here in Ireland. I have spoken to many people who want to go there and provide humanitarian assistance. I have also been contacted by Irish citizens who want to go there and take up arms to defend Ukraine and stand with the Ukrainian people. I would like to get the Minister's view on that.

With regard to the potential for nuclear catastrophe, there have been threats in terms of the positioning and getting ready of nuclear weapons. We also had a very concerning development around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and the inability to cool some of the materials and fuels there. I would like the Minister's perspective in terms of preparedness in what hopefully will not evolve into a situation where there is a catastrophe like that.

I welcome the third round of sanctions. There has been much focus on the International Financial Services Centre, IFSC, and the washing of dirty oligarch Russian money through the IFSC. Is the Minister satisfied at this stage that this has now ended and that the sanctions that are in place will cover that? It was stated last week that potentially three companies have been identified and are being looked at. I would like the Minister's view on that.

I will make two final points around diplomacy. We have a seat on the UN Security Council. The Russian foreign minister, Mr. Sergey Lavrov, is in Turkey today taking part in the highest level of talks to date.

God only knows what will come out of that. Apart from our position on the Security Council, what are we doing outside of that in terms of pushing the diplomatic route? What analysis has been done? The Minister said Ireland will only move in tandem with the EU but on the question of expelling diplomats from Ireland, including the ambassador, my view and that of my party is well known. Now is the time, even if we have to act unilaterally, to move on that.