Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Ireland is continuing to provide strong political and practical support for Ukraine as we continue to assert Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Government has stated that Ireland will play its part in assisting people from Ukraine and has lifted visa requirements to allow people from there who want to seek safety in Ireland to do so as easily as possible.

The European Union has agreed a package of €500 million in military assistance for Ukraine. While Ireland has constructively abstained on the lethal equipment element of that package, we are paying our full share - approximately €10 million - and our funding will go to non-lethal supports. The Taoiseach recently confirmed that the Government would provide a further €10 million in humanitarian aid, adding to the €10 million announced a few days earlier.

The Government acknowledged the scale and scope of the potential implications for the State of the war in Ukraine and agreed that a co-ordinated, whole-of-government response would be essential to minimise those impacts. Discussions have taken place on the humanitarian response required to welcome people from Ukraine fleeing the war and seeking protection in Ireland. Significant planning and preparatory work is taking place across the Government to provide accommodation and other essential supports to those who have arrived here already as well as to the large number of further people expected to arrive. These include preparations on healthcare, education, social welfare and so on. The Government agreed that temporary crisis measures may need to be taken in order to deliver a response to this humanitarian emergency at the scale involved and within the short timeframe in which we have to operate.

As part of these discussions, there has been engagement with my Department and the Defence Forces on land use and temporary shelter options. Logistical support that could be provided by the Defence Forces is also being explored. The Defence Forces, as always, stand ready to provide whatever assistance is necessary and possible within their capacity and capability. This is an evolving situation but the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence are very much involved in a cross-departmental response that is being assessed on a weekly basis.

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