Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I take the opportunity to wish every female in this country and across the world the best of luck on International Women’s Day. I think, in particular, of the staff I have in my own office who do a great job when I am not there and I wish them well.

On Ukraine and all that has been talked about here today, I wish to make a suggestion in the context of what we will be doing next week in celebrating St Patrick’s Day and week, when we will be showcasing Ireland globally as the small island nation that we are that has spread throughout the world. Ministers and Government representatives will travel to the far ends of the world in celebration of that, and rightly so, because it is a great thing that we can do that. It is a great occasion for people on these foreign soils to see our Ministers there celebrating our Irishness. The Taoiseach himself alluded to the peacekeeping role we have and the fact we now have a seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Effectively, we have a great reputation but we are basing that on a success story of struggle for our independence. I am asking the Taoiseach, as a mark of solidarity with Ukraine, that we consider for next week raising the Ukrainian flag with the Irish flag at every embassy and, where we are greening our Irish buildings across the globe, that we also include the colours of Ukraine as a mark of respect and solidarity with these people? It would be important for people across the world to say how we in Ireland, with our great reputation, are going to share our day with the Ukrainian people, bearing in mind all the atrocities they have got undergone in the past ten days. It would be a noble gesture, a small one for us to do, but would be a giant indication right across the world of what Ireland thinks about what is happening right now.

It is an opportunity and will cost nothing, other than a few bulbs here and there with an additional flag to be raised. The Taoiseach might consider that.

See this speech in context