Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome the Ukrainian ambassador and her team. My concern is that because we are on the edge of Europe we are on the tail end of the supply chain which is a major disadvantage in times of shortage.

We are in a vulnerable situation. I ask the Minister to invest in our own producers to ensure that, if this happens, we are sustainable. Hopefully it will not happen. Like it or lump it, we are influenced economically by our relationship with Russia. Some 30% of global wheat, 30% of barley and 20% of corn exports come from Russia and Ukraine. This produce comes through the Black Sea and is transported down the Danube. It can only come through without conflict. Russia is the largest fertiliser exporter in the world, accounting for 25% of global nitrogen, 20% of global potash and 16% of global phosphate exports. Russia supplies 40% of Europe's natural gas and 30% of Russia's crude oil is exported. Crude oil prices have increased by 16% since January, bringing the price of a barrel to €83.45.

We need to stick by Irish producers to make sure they are viable if anything like this happens. We are at the tail end of the supply chain from Europe. I sympathise with Ukraine but, as a public representative, I have to think of the Irish people and how our supplies come through. We had debates here all day on putting a mini budget in place to help our farming community, so that we can survive if there is a shortage of food. Like it or lump it, if Russia invades Ukraine, there will be a shortage throughout the world. We can see how reliant we are on Russia and Ukraine, so we are compromised.

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