Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

All our thoughts are with the women of Ukraine on International Women's Day and, indeed, with all the people of Ukraine. They are being indiscriminately killed throughout that country right now. On a street in Irpin, a family with two children fleeing war, with everything they had in their suitcases, were killed by Russian shelling as they tried to get to safety. In Sumy last night, Russian air strikes killed 18 people, including two children. On Sunday, the world witnessed the death of Kirill Yatsko, an 18-month-old boy fatally injured by shelling in Mariupol. President Zelenskiy confirmed this morning that a child had died from dehydration in the same city, where water and all other supplies have been cut off by the Russians.

We must not turn our eyes away from what Russia is perpetrating on the Ukrainian people. The UN has confirmed that the number of refugees fleeing the Russian war against Ukraine has already exceeded 2 million. We are all aware that this is a humanitarian crisis on a level that has not been seen in Europe since the Second World War. The Irish people have responded with urgency and generosity and are full of practical ideas on how to address the crisis. It must be said that the Taoiseach went some way to capturing the mood of the nation last Friday night on "The Late Late Show". However, capturing the mood of the nation and actually delivering in this House and for the refugees coming from Ukraine are going to be two different things. Estimates of 100,000 refugees coming to Ireland have been put forward. It will be a task for the country, the Government and all of us in this House to ensure we deliver on all areas, including housing, health and education, for everyone who comes to our shores. Can the Taoiseach confirm whether the UK Government or the Home Office have raised any concerns with him or the Government about our policy on accepting refugees?

While we cannot condone the lorry driver who crashed into the gates of the Russian Embassy, we can all understand what drove that action. The Government has so far decided not to expel the Russian ambassador but we must recognise that the embassy is now a tool of the Russian war effort. There are 31 staff known to be working there, which is reportedly one third more than the number working in the embassy in the UK, where there are 22 staff. There are only ten staff in the Russian embassy in Poland, 12 in Germany and 19 in France. Why are there are so many Russian embassy staff here when we do not have strong trade or cultural links with that country?

Our Magnitsky Bill is being held up by Government red tape. Can the Taoiseach confirm what Russian assets, if any, have been seized by the Government in the past couple of weeks?

Has the UK raised any concerns with Ireland over how many refugees we are planning to take? Why has Ireland so many Russian diplomats? Will the Taoiseach now expel those who are surplus to maintaining basic diplomatic channels? What Russian assets, if any, have been seized by the Irish State?

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