Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State said she was unaware earlier and I suggested that she reads up on it. I ask her to let me finish my comment. Nobody suggested that she is uneducated and she should not try cheap shots. I am making the point about accountability for European money. I was suggesting that she read up on the special report on reducing grand corruption in Ukraine which was published in 2021. The European Court of Auditors has stated:

However, in our 2021 report on reducing grand corruption in Ukraine, we concluded that grand corruption and state capture were still widespread in Ukraine despite EU action to address the issue as a cross-cutting priority. In particular, the report highlighted [a number of areas]...

The report found that oligarchs and vested interests across Ukraine were the root cause of corruption, and posed the main obstacle to the rule of law and economic development in the country.

The European Court of Auditors has further noted that "The European External Action Service ... and the Commission were well aware of the multiple connections between oligarchs, high-level officials, the government, parliament, the judiciary and State Owned Enterprises". That is what I am asking the Minister of State to read up on, with respect. I asked her a very clear question. Is she concerned about corruption in Ukraine prior to the war? In fairness, she answered that she did not have the information. The point I am making is that State funding is going in here, potentially hundreds of millions of euro of taxpayers' money from Ireland and from across the European Union. We need to ensure oversight, particularly now in a war context which I acknowledge is much more difficult. However, before the war the European Court of Auditors had pointed these issues out. What are the mechanisms that the Minister of State is aware of that are in place to deal with this situation? I accept that we need to support Ukraine 100%.

I am supportive of this legislation for that reason but we need to make sure the funding gets to the people and authorities that need it and is spent in the intended way. Therefore, given what the European Court of Auditors has said - I had the opportunity to meet with its president last week – what oversights and accountability mechanisms are now in place and adjoin this legislation to make sure that money is targeted and well spent?