Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

We hope the dilemma the Tánaiste faces is whether to go to Kiev. We all hope there will be an Irish match in that location. We also appreciate the general public desire to see a separation of politics and sport. It is not a great idea for politics to intrude onto the field of sport. Notwithstanding that, the circumstances surrounding the case of Julia Tymoshenko, which have been highlighted internationally, are so fundamentally wrong and concerning that one must ask what is the plight of the ordinary citizens who fall foul of the justice system in the country, if a state can treat a former Prime Minister in this way, where she is held in a hospital ward with guards in the ward and television cameras monitoring her constantly. We hope Ireland will be playing in Kiev. If that situation arises, can the Tánaiste give us an understanding of his position and whether he will have discussions with our honorary consul and our diplomatic representatives in order to give them guidance on their position?

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