H.E. Ms Larysa Gerasko:

Regarding the Deputy's second question, we work closely with many local authorities on accommodating our Ukrainian immigrants. We also work with many Departments to set up or create language courses and community centres for them. These are important because, although many of our Ukrainians speak English, many others do not. It is important to have places - not just in Dublin, but across the country - where they can chat with Ukrainians who have been living here for may years, get assistance and share their problems. We are also working with some doctors on getting consultations because it is important to treat post-traumatic syndrome. Our embassy team is small and it is difficult for us to have connections outside of Dublin and work with citizens across the country. We would appreciate it if the committee raised these issues so that I might, for example, send members a list of our requests in respect of their constituencies. We would be grateful for members' support.

Just 6,000 Ukrainians have arrived, but we expect more and more. It depends on the situation in Ukraine. For now, that situation is deteriorating. It depends on the war ending. We can expect more immigrants, of course. Most of them are women and children. For instance, more than 2,000 Ukrainian immigrants in Ireland are children under 18 years of age. Our women will face problems with kindergartens and access to the labour market. Our immigrants do not need work permits, but they still have to live somewhere with small kids, get jobs and go to work. We will face many problems with our Ukrainians.

We must meet the Copenhagen criteria. It is difficult to discuss this issue now when part of our country is destroyed. Infrastructure and homes have been destroyed, but our reforms have not been. Our reforms were pretty successful before the three weeks of war. We still have to do a lot and we have to continue our reforms, including anti-corruption reforms. Corruption was one of the main problems in Ukraine. Believe me, though - this war has changed the nation, changed our politicians, changed everything in our country. We are now more united than ever. Many politicians who were involved in corruption have fled the country. It has been like a-----