Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Tánaiste. I have a number of questions and I will go through them individually as quickly as possible.

In respect of Ukraine and the Tánaiste's reference to the summit on peace that is due to be held in June in Switzerland, if I understand correctly, will he outline what role he envisages Ireland playing in the summit and what he expects the outworkings of it to be? We have had a prolonged period of Russian aggression in Ukraine, we have had the introduction of sanctions against Russia, billions of euro in EU moneys have been spent, and I think there has been broadly cross-party support in these Houses for those measures. The Tánaiste might give a sense as to whether he sees Russia showing any indication that it has an interest in pursuing a peace from whatever source the negotiations or otherwise might emerge. Does he have any view as to what the likely trajectory of the conflict in Ukraine will be over the coming months or how that might impact the rest of Europe? We are having a big debate in these Houses and in society broadly about the pressures on our accommodation systems. Does the Tánaiste see events in Ukraine over the coming months creating more pressures? Will more people be forced to leave Ukraine to come to other parts of Europe?

Might the Tánaiste take those questions first? I have a few others.