Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

One of the most important political characteristics is self-awareness, which is knowing one’s limitations and one’s capabilities. It is important that in this House we assess ourselves when it comes to deciding how we respond to the threat posed by Vladimir Putin’s unlawful and brutal invasion of Ukraine. We need to know what our capacities are and what our limitations are.

The first thing we all need to acknowledge is that we are not a military power. We do not have the type of military power that would have any impact on this invasion. Even if we did, we could not use it, because of our long-standing policy of neutrality. However, we need to look at where we are powerful and where we are significant. This comes under two headings. First, as a member of the European Union, we are very effective. That is why I support the Government in what it has done by being part of the imposition of swingeing sanctions on the Putin regime, which I think will be effective.

Second, and more important, we are an independent, sovereign State. We are a State that has a proud record of standing up to aggression and of standing up for justice. We need to emphasise that more. We also need to recognise that when it comes to foreign policy, it is not a delegated function. It is a competence that remains within the member state under the European treaties. That is why I find it so hard to understand that a country that is as proud of Ireland is prepared to associate itself diplomatically with a regime that is at present committing war crimes. We know that it is committing war crimes. The Government says that it is committing war crimes and yet we are prepared to go along with this practice of permitting diplomatic relations between Ireland and Vladimir Putin's Russia. We should call an end to it. We should close our embassy in Moscow. We should bring our diplomats home. We should tell the Russian ambassador and his colleagues in the embassy, which is on the appropriately named Orwell Road, to depart, to get their bags and baggage and to leave this country.

As to the reasons we do not do that, two reasons have been given. First, we want to keep diplomacy open so that we can talk. This is where self-awareness is important. We are delusional if we think Vladimir Putin or his regime is going to listen to Ireland. They have no interest in listing to Ireland. The second reason we do not do it is that we are told it is important to ensure that a decision is made collectively by the European Union. Foreign policy, as I said, is a competency of this country. We should stand up proudly and we should lead the way diplomatically by saying that we want to get rid of the Russian ambassador from this country.

If we look back at what has happened in Europe, we can see that different reasons and different decisions are being made by member states within the European Union. That has happened already. Some of them are participating militarily. Others, such as us, are not. It is not correct to say that we have to act collectively as a European Union. By doing so, we are undermining our strength as an independent country.

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