Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The past four weeks have witnessed the illegal and unprovoked war of extermination launched by Vladimir Putin's Russia against the people of Ukraine. The world, in particular Europe, has changed and nothing will be the same again and we have to give most serious consideration, both as an Oireachtas and as a people, to a broad range of issues that will flow from this terrible aggression.

I wish to deal with our immediate response to the humanitarian crisis that has resulted in the displacement within Ukraine and across Europe of 10 million Ukrainians so far. Although we are on the edge of Europe, we expect to welcome to our shores up to 200,000 refugees. We must be ready today and each coming day to receive properly these desperate and traumatised people, who are coming here for refuge.

I wish to discuss the port of Rosslare in my constituency. In a most welcome and generous gesture, Stena Line is offering free passage aboard its vessels to Ireland. On Monday, more than 180 people – Ukrainians fleeing terror and arriving in Rosslare – availed of this facility. Another Stena Line boat will arrive from Cherbourg tomorrow and a larger vessel, the Stena Estrid, will arrive from Cherbourg on Saturday. It is expected that many hundreds of Ukrainian refugees will arrive on these ships and the ones to follow.

However, although there is amazing and heart-warming goodwill from local community volunteers, local authority staff, the Garda Síochána, the Department of Social Protection and many others, there is a clear lack of co-ordination at the port – a lead agency, someone to be in charge, to co-ordinate that goodwill. We need a strong physical presence from the International Protection Accommodation Services, IPAS. There must be comprehensive Covid testing for staff and those arriving. Already, some support staff have had to isolate because of the latest Covid wave. There must be sheltered areas to deal with traumatised people away from busy port activity. We are mostly talking about women and children who are arriving in an alien and foreign country and into a busy working port.

There is also a need for practical assistance, including guidance on car insurance. People who have driven across Europe are arriving with cars but instantly have no insurance. There is a need for cash for fuel and personal requisites, support for medicines and prescriptions, SIM cards and power adapters – all the normal things that people need. Many people fled their homes with just the clothes they were standing in. We need to wrap supports around them.

In the coming days, hundreds, or perhaps thousands, more refugees will be arriving at our ports. We need to recognise that those areas are becoming war refugee zones and we have to prepare accordingly. Will the Minister set out the Government's plans?

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