Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will begin by expressing my deep concern about the current situation at the Ukrainian border, where an estimated 100,000 Russian soldiers are gathered. I note among the conclusions of December's meeting that the European Council reiterated its full support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and has warned that any further military aggression against Ukraine will have major consequences and incur a severe cost in response. I wish to reiterate Sinn Féin's opposition to the act of aggression against a sovereign state.

Ireland has particular roles it can play in terms of being a neutral country and by using our position on the United Nations Security Council. We need to use these roles to play our part in achieving a peaceful resolution to the crisis and avoiding an escalation that would cost lives and international relations and all that go with those factors. Calm and reason are needed. The situation is balanced on a pinhead and, therefore, we must use our unique position to highlight the need for moral awareness, political dexterity and the ultimate goal of a peaceful resolution that has the sovereignty of Ukraine foremost in our minds.

In December, the European Council also discussed the matter of security. In particular, discussions were had on taking more responsibility in this regard, yet we are in a situation where Russia is set to carry out naval drills off the coast of Ireland next month. This is yet another deeply concerning situation and is not helped by the fact our Defence Forces are overstretched and have been subject to underinvestment. Our Naval Service is a case in point. We also lack primary radar, thereby enabling agencies of other states to probe our airspace. Now we find ourselves in a situation in which missile tests are to take place in relatively close proximity to Ireland and in our exclusive economic zone and we are ill-prepared to deal with them. Many see it as a posturing exercise with old Cold War actions, but it is also placing increased pressure on our underfunded and overstretched Defence Forces, which lack key monitoring infrastructure. When are we going to address our own deficiencies? Are we just going to discuss ambitions at an EU level without dealing with our own issues? Effectively, what is now being expected of our Defence Forces is to police a presence they are unable to see, detect or hear. It only adds to the level of disillusionment that personnel feel. Do we have to find ourselves in situations such as this before any action is taken to fund the Defence Forces adequately or is the Government going to continue ignoring the 2015 White Paper, which recognised that radar surveillance was a priority?

What efforts are being made to protect our rights to fish? Under current legislation in Britain, the Royal Navy is required to consult conservation groups to ensure its activities do not endanger wildlife in the area. We have no such requirement and we can we see the ease with which the Russian navy can carry out its activities in Ireland's exclusive economic zone. Our fishing industry is on its knees as a result of poor negotiation by the Government and EU rules that do it a disservice. With quotas slashed, things were bad enough for the sector, but now we have military activity taking place in fishing waters that will disturb the catch and have profound implications for livelihoods in the fishing sector.

I wish to mention the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, TRIPS, waiver, to which the EU was described as the "biggest roadblock" by former President Mary Robinson. Lower income countries do not want to rely on donations alone. They want to be able to manufacture their own vaccines, but we are still meeting opposition to this from the EU. Covid is not over for anyone until it is over for everyone.

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