Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this suggestion. We have considered this in Government and I agree with the Deputy. As a result of the appalling situation and war in Ukraine, we have evolved our tone and theme of St. Patrick’s Day next week from an overt focus on Ireland to a broader focus on the fact Ireland is an active, engaged and fully committed member of the international community that stands by democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

We will use St. Patrick's Day and that week basically to highlight our solidarity with Ukraine and the values for which the Ukrainian people are standing. That is a key issue. The theme of St. Patrick's Day was about reconnection coming out of the pandemic, with people reconnecting in person nationally and globally, and illustrating the connectedness and interdependence of the world. Again, that has been demonstrated in respect of the people of Ukraine standing up for fundamental values that we all share and want to see protected - freedom, democracy and human rights.

In all the various speaking occasions, we will highlight the situation in Ukraine and Ireland's solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Members of the Government will represent Ireland in approximately 30 countries across Europe, America and Asia, and they will use those occasions to reassert our unequivocal commitment to democracy and to the people of Ukraine. National day receptions will go ahead where possible overseas, and we are looking at ways to recognise Ukraine and its people at official receptions that will be organised. No Russian or Belarusian representatives will be invited to any official St. Patrick's Day events. Speeches at receptions and events will make appropriate reference to the situation in Ukraine as it prevails at the time they are delivered. More than 70 bespoke virtual receptions are in full production and will make appropriate reference to the situation in Ukraine as it prevails at the time they are delivered. The Global Greening programme in partnership with Tourism Ireland has been an enormous success over the years. We are re-examining that for St. Patrick's Day in terms of how we can interweave it with a Ukrainian theme as well.

We believe we can use the unique access that St. Patrick's Day gives Ireland around the world as a platform to express our solidarity with the people of Ukraine and to seek to strengthen the global coalition of support for Ukraine and its people. It is appropriate we do so, as an active, engaged and fully committed member of the international community of free and democratic nations and to reassert out solidarity with the people of Ukraine. I take on board what the Deputy has said. We are of one mind; that is the way we have been thinking about this since the war broke out. We need to act in solidarity and use the occasions to highlight what is happening.

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