Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his kind words. I also appreciate his comments about the importance of war reporting. I absolutely agree with him that this is an attack on democracy. It is a brutal and unprovoked attack on a peaceful sovereign state. We have to be absolutely clear in our condemnation of Russian action and our solidarity with Ukraine. It is in that spirit that I offer constructively my view that we should be doing more as a neutral country through non-military means to express that condemnation. Just as we have seen Ireland moving along with other nations to support Ukraine's application for accession to the EU, so too should we be moving with like-minded nations, even if we do not have full agreement across the EU, on more stringent diplomatic measures such as expulsions of diplomats. I think that is one way, along with the other things we are doing, that we as a neutral State can show our outright condemnation.

On the issue of climate, I ask the Taoiseach again about how the construction of new gas-fired plants is compatible with meeting our targets on renewables, particularly as there are already so many concerns about whether we can, in fact, meet those targets with offshore wind development.

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