Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

What is happening in Ukraine is an absolute disaster. Watching the ominous pictures of columns of military vehicles heading towards Kyiv is deeply chilling and Ireland should, obviously, do everything it can to help the people of Ukraine. I refer to everything in economic, financial and diplomatic terms to deploy pressure on Russia. I welcome much of what the Government has done and I do not want this debate to be unnecessarily fractious but some critique in the Government's approach is warranted.

The Ukrainian ambassador has asked Ireland to isolate Russia and that means sending home Russia's diplomatic mission to this State. The Government is refusing to do that, which is a big mistake. I have never seen a Government refuse to do what so many of its own Deputies have asked it to do. It is unprecedented. It is strange also that the Government is lauding itself, on the one hand, for being ahead of the rest of the European Union with regard to preventing flights from flying over Ireland's airspace, yet it is saying it cannot move until the rest of Europe does when it comes to sending the Russian ambassador home. Ireland is refusing to exert its own sovereignty to support Ukrainian sovereignty. It does not make sense. Moreover, what is the Government going to do if a Russian aeroplane flies over Irish airspace? Two Russian aeroplanes flew over Irish airspace in 2012 and we were powerless to do anything about it. Will the Government scramble the Government jet to see whether it could stop it?

I asked an important question earlier of the Taoiseach and he refused to answer it. It relates to the Russian mission in Ireland and, allegedly, a number of spies who exist within it. Is it the case that they exist? The Minister of State might answer that in his concluding remarks. It has been further alleged that Russia poses a significant threat to this State. Is that the case, in his estimation? When the Taoiseach was asked this question, he stated he was a realist when it comes to spies, which was an admission that they exist in this country and are doing damage to our interests. That alone should be good reason for this country to send home the Russian embassy staff.

Russian companies have sanctions against them and some of the companies are linked to firms that operate in the IFSC. Firms in Ireland have been raising billions of euro and lending that money to Russian banks, which have been lending it to firms that have sanctions against them. We cannot turn a blind eye to that if we want the impact of those sanctions to stick. What will the Government do to ensure this country does not allow for the bypassing of sanctions?

Ireland has not nearly exhausted the potential for humanitarian aid to Ukraine. I find it strange that we have only touched the tip of the iceberg of what is necessary in humanitarian aid, yet Fine Gael Deputies are demanding that Ireland pursue lethal force. This would do damage to Ireland’s potential in the future to be seen as a strong, honest broker that can reach out to different factions and look for peaceful resolution. We have a name internationally as a peaceful, honest broker. We should not do damage to that by getting involved in the delivery of lethal force.

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