Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I reiterate the Tánaiste's utter condemnation of the evil attack which took place in Salisbury on 4 March. I repeat that our closest neighbour has assessed that it is highly likely that Russia carried out the first known chemical attack on European soil since the end of the Second World War, and that there is no plausible alternative explanation. The European Council agreed unanimously with the UK's assessment and a substantial majority of EU member states and some other very important partners have chosen to act as we have.

We have long-standing relations with Russia. This year marks the 45th anniversary of our diplomatic relations. Ireland bears Russia no ill will and has never approached our relationship in an adversarial manner. We have always valued the quality of our engagement with Russia. This has not changed and the Tánaiste was pleased to co-chair a meeting of the long-established joint economic committee last December. We have much to gain from each other in our trade, our economic exchanges and, indeed, in our people to people contacts. There is a welcome and a vibrant Russian community in Ireland and we hope that we can continue to build on the many positives in our relationship and to maintain and rebuild good relations despite these unhappy events.

To do so effectively, we must maintain mutual trust and respect, which is best assured by honouring and implementing the commitments we have made as members of the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, as well as the Council of Europe. As a small country, Ireland strongly supports the rule of law and the stable rules-based conduct of international relations in a multilateral framework. This is not the first time our perspectives have been different to those of Russia.

In the context of our neutrality, which was mentioned liberally during the recent contributions, Ireland has always been committed to working to achieve a more peaceful, secure and prosperous world. Our soldiers, for example, have a proud track record of peacekeeping since 1958. We also recognise that the spread of weapons of all kinds, including chemical weapons, fuels conflict, contributes to human rights abuses and hinders development.

Promoting disarmament has been one of five signature foreign policies for Ireland and it builds upon Ireland's historic legacy in that area. Being a neutral country does not absolve us of our responsibility to call out and act upon major breaches of an international rules-based order. We are not and have never been neutral with regard to the defence of fundamental values and European solidarity.

I repeat that today's decision has been taken based on an assessment carried out in the past few days of all the relevant political and security factors in the current circumstances by a very high-level official group of security service and relevant departmental officials, co-ordinated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. There was also input from those Departments involved in economic relations with Russia. We are aware that there may be retaliatory action against our embassy in Moscow. Let me underline that there would be no justification whatsoever for such measures. It is beyond doubt that our staff do not have any duties or functions which are incompatible with their diplomatic status, nor has Ireland acted improperly.

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