Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As Ireland celebrates 100 years of being an independent, democratic country, Dáil Éireann is to pass without dissent this motion, which condemns in the strongest terms Russia's acts of aggression against Ukraine and reaffirms its unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. We condemn the destruction of a much newer democratic country and the brutal, savage murder of its population. The artillery attacks on apartment blocks, schools and maternity hospitals are the actions of a coward's army to suppress the general population by the mass slaughter and murder of women and children.

The Russian ambassador to Ireland lacked all credibility in his interviews with the Irish media and the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence in the weeks preceding the invasion of Ukraine. There is no respect for his office and he has lost all credibility. While I accept the advice of the Minister for Foreign Affairs regarding the expulsion of the ambassador, I hope the latter will have the human decency to retire and remove himself from this country as soon as possible.

I welcome the security review conducted in recent days and the consequent views expressed to the ambassador yesterday, whereby four so-called Russian diplomats have been ordered to leave our country. Ireland has a significant role to play in this regard in that it campaigned long and hard to achieve a UN Security Council seat for this year and next. It appears we had intelligence that the invasion was going to happen some months before it occurred and that the united nations of the world could not prevent it from happening. What if any democratic nation had a right to request the United Nations to send to it a peace-enforcement mission or unit from all other nations, particularly militarily neutral nations, to secure its borders from invasion, such that if another country did invade, it would be attacking all the other countries of the world and not a military alliance such as NATO?

When this war is over, the UN needs to conduct a comprehensive review of the rules of war, including in respect of what constitutes a war crime and the penalties for infringement; the treatment of civilians, particularly women and children, in the war zone; the shelling and bombing of, and missile attacks on, what are clearly civilian areas; the security and safety of nuclear facilities in the war zone and the creation of a safe zone around them; the use of chemical weapons; and the payment of reparation for the reconstruction of war-torn cities and towns. Ireland can play a role in formulating the new rules and must do so in its time left on the UN Security Council. In the case of the illegal war rained on Ukraine by Russia, any assets or cash seized by states from Russian oligarchs should in the first instance be ring-fenced and used to rebuild Ukraine. I ask that the Minister for Foreign Affairs, together with the Taoiseach, seek support for this policy around the table of the UN Security Council.

I am puzzled by the hypocrisy of the Russian state regarding the remarks of US President Biden about Mr. Putin staying in office as unacceptable. While this is a matter for the people of Russia to decide, the Russian state deems it completely acceptable for it to invade Ukraine, a democratic country of 46 million people, the primary aim being regime change. Surely, it is the right of the people of Ukraine to decide what sort of government it wants to have and the international organisations it wants to join.

I look forward to the address of President Zelenskiy to the Dáil next week. I suggest to the Minister that arrangements be made to broadcast his address on big screens in some of our cities and towns. In Dublin, for example, the park in Merrion Square would be an ideal location. We should encourage Ukrainian refugees who are living here to attend. We will all stand with Ukraine and its people on the day.

Last week I visited Lisdoonvarna, where I met and engaged with volunteers who work with Lisdoonvarna Fáilte. I met many Ukrainian refugees who have made their way to County Clare. I pay tribute to the local community organisations in Lisdoonvarna and elsewhere in the county, including Ballyvaughan, Kilkee, Shannon and Ennis, which have given such a warm welcome to Ukrainian people. I pay tribute to Clare Local Development Company, An Garda, the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, the Red Cross, the Department of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Rural and Community Development. The community-development organisation Lisdoonvarna Fáilte is doing tremendous work under the management of Ms Jacqueline McCoy and her team.

Issues have emerged that need to be addressed. For example, there is a glaring need to provide refugees with access to new shoes, lunch boxes and clothes, but shoes are a much-needed commodity. It would make sense to open up access to a form of the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance for the population of Ukrainian refugees.

I ask that the Government make a quick decision in this regard.

Lisdoonvarna Fáilte has made an emergency application via Pobal for the employment of translators and liaison people. This application needs to be fast tracked and approved as soon as possible. There is an urgent need for medical translators, school provision, etc. I congratulate the Government on the response to date.

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