Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach and welcome the Tánaiste and his officials for bringing us up to speed with the priorities for the coming year, at UN level and elsewhere. I want to congratulate warmly the Tánaiste and his Department, our Government, the EU and the UK Government representatives in the Gallery, on the ground-breaking Windsor Framework. It has been welcomed by business, a wide strand of the private sector and interests in the North already. That is encouraging. It offers great potential to help the social and economic development of Northern Ireland in that it allows it continued free access to the UK and to the Single Market. It is a double and wonderful opportunity for the people of Northern Ireland. I join with the Tánaiste and many others in appealing to all strands of unionism to grasp this opportunity which also of course creates the possibility and real probability of a new administration in Northern Ireland, which is what we want and aspire to.

I agree with the condemnation of the illegal, barbaric war that continues in Ukraine. In that context, in regard to EU membership for Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, at what stage are those applications? What progress can be achieved there? Would the Tánaiste agree that a proactive approach should be taken from a geopolitical and a humanitarian, indeed every point of view, to get those countries into the EU? There are achievements in terms of civil liberties and corruption of course but we need to be proactive and imaginative in our approach. I suggest that Montenegro is another case in point where it is a country at a crossroads in geopolitical terms. There is quite a movement that would move it towards Russia, and quite a movement that would move it towards the EU. It is towards the EU that we want to see it coming.

It behoves us all and it behoves the Tánaiste within the Council of Ministers to do everything conceivably possible to get those four states - Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Montenegro - into the EU as part of the enlargement that is necessary.

On the issue of sanctions, I know new sanctions have been imposed. Obviously, we want sanctions that, if at all possible, do not harm the ordinary innocent, unfortunate and wonderful people of Russia. We have all come across them, whether they are living in Ireland or in Russia. They are great human beings. They should be the least of our target. The real thing is to get at the oligarchs and the power points and the people around Putin. I am interested in the Tánaiste's view as to how we are doing with that targeting. Could more be done to get at the oligarchs rather than the ordinary people?

There is a clear deterioration of the situation in the occupied territories. There are demolitions, evictions, injuries and deaths. It is a complete breach of international law. What further steps does the Tánaiste think can be taken by the institutions we are part of at the EU and UN level etc.? Is there any more we can do to apply pressure? In a similar tone to the previous speaker asking about peace in Ukraine, does the Tánaiste see any rays of hope in terms of achieving settlement in the Palestinian-Israeli situation? It is extraordinarily bleak and recent weeks have been beyond depressing.

What can be done to get the Muslim majority countries around Afghanistan and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to put pressure on Afghanistan? How could the Tánaiste, within the UN and the various bodies, get those people to pressurise Afghanistan more to move? The Tánaiste said we are limited in what we can do in terms of sanctions, but could we put more pressure on Afghanistan to create a different situation for women, in particular, in the area of education? I know we cannot really tie it to food and aid because people cannot be left to starve. I would be interested if the Tánaiste would elaborate on the issue and comment on the situation of women in Afghanistan in the area of education. I will leave it at that. I think the situation in Afghanistan is an abomination internationally. It is a very complex and difficult one.