Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the committee, I acknowledge the work Senator O'Reilly does on the international stage as a leading member of our parliamentary representation on the Council of Europe, which is also playing a very important role in the context of current matters in the region.

I reiterate my appreciation to the ambassador for her engagement in Ireland. My only question elaborates on an important point made by Deputy Brady when he referred to the political situation in Moldova, with particular reference to attempts on Russia's part to overthrow what is a pro-EU government by infiltration and undue interference, as well as trying to stir-up a protest movement in Moldova which is resulting in certain instabilities. I acknowledge President Zelenskyy recent statement in Ukraine that he had uncovered a Russian plot to destabilise Moldova. Before we conclude, will the ambassador give a flavour of the domestic situation, which is obviously a worry to the people of Moldova and also its neighbours. I reiterate the support of this committee to the Moldovan regime and to Ms Miculet as ambassador. I assure her that we will continue to highlight the very fragile nature of politics in Moldova. I think the best assistance we can give, as Deputy Stanton and Senator Horkan said, is to try to assist Moldova's application for EU membership, drawing on our own situation. The parallels are real, as Ms Miculet knows, between Moldova as a candidate for EU membership and the situation in Ireland during our candidate status and the sacrifices Irish people made, as well as the transformation that took place in this country, particularly during the early 1970s. As Senator Craughwell is gone, I am probably the only one who remembers that. I was at school at the time.