Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

What is going on in Ukraine is truly horrific, and I want to express my solidarity with the Ukrainian people and join the call for an end to this terrible war. Nothing can justify the aggression the Russian Federation has imposed against Ukraine and we must do all we can to support the Ukrainian people and condemn Russia’s unprovoked and destructive attack on a peaceful nation. I would also like to take this opportunity to recognise the more than 14,200 people who have been arrested in Russia for taking part in anti-war demonstrations in many locations across Russia to protest Vladimir Putin’s unforgivable invasion of Ukraine. Those people might be able to show how this war can be opposed and stopped.

I want to recognise the Irish citizens who have opened their homes to people in need who have been fleeing the conflict. I have been heartened by this gesture. It has shown the Irish people’s concerns are, rightly, with the people of Ukraine who have been displaced during this conflict. It will open more people's eyes to how we have treated other refugees in the State. More people will be radicalised when they see the difference in how refugees are treated.

I know the EU has put in place a temporary protection directive to allow Ukrainian citizens fleeing Ukraine to move through the EU in a manner akin to EU citizens. I welcome this directive, and I welcome that the Department will provide support and services to assist people covered by this directive who are fleeing Ukraine and arriving in Ireland. However, the fact that this directive is not extended to people of other nationalities fleeing Ukraine is incredibly unfair and must be addressed. It sadly shows where the EU's priorities lie.

The reality is that anyone feeling this war is in danger and is a vulnerable person, and all should be treated the same. I raised this issue three weeks ago with the Taoiseach. However, it has become clear that neither he nor the Minister for Justice see this issue as a priority. It is completely unjust that these people will not be entitled to the same protections as Ukrainian citizens.

Victims of war are victims of war no matter what their citizenship is. Victims should be treated equally and with respect. We cannot even begin to imagine the difficulties these victims have had to face. The last thing we should be doing is creating barriers for people already facing such difficulty. We need to further our efforts in supporting these victims and we need to ensure the Department provides support and services to assist all people displaced within Ukraine.

This assistance should, of course, be offered to all refugees fleeing war, including those in Afghanistan, Yemen, Palestine and Syria. Everyone deserves safe and humane living conditions no matter what their citizenship or which country they are fleeing. We must make sure we do all we can to provide safe and humane conditions. That includes the end of direct provision, something that has been promised by this Government but is yet to be seen on the ground. We need to start properly discussing accommodation needs for those fleeing war and we need to move beyond short-term planning, although doing so is currently difficult because this war has only just begun and we are trying to deal with issues as they arise.

When it comes to real and physical support and assistance we can lend to victims of war, there are certain things that should be prioritised. We should focus on using our resources for accommodation centres and refugee schemes rather than for military expenditure. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, stated earlier today that a Bill to enshrine neutrality "would prevent us putting our money where our mouth is" on issues such as Ukraine. That money should be put into providing the safest spaces possible for those fleeing war, not on compromising our neutrality or satisfying the military industrial complex.

I have often spoken about the importance of Ireland's neutrality. The topic has been discussed a worrying amount lately and I have been openly vocal about my concerns in respect of where these talks are leading us. The Taoiseach recently stated that a citizens’ assembly should consider Ireland’s neutrality. I think he is hoping the assembly will come up with a fudge that will allow him to get rid of it. I cannot understand why some Members of this House are pushing this conversation so much. The Irish people have always voted overwhelmingly to maintain and protect our neutrality. Why is the Government seeking to undermine this? Is it responding to the pressures of the EU and NATO over the wishes of its own citizens or is it looking for foreign direct investment that we are currently losing out on?

Neutrality contributes to the strengthening of peace and security at a global level and plays a vital role in developing peaceful, friendly and mutually beneficial relations between countries. Neutrality does not have to mean sitting back and doing nothing. In fact, Irish neutrality in effect has never done this. Why would it be assumed that we should start now? We can be neutral in a very active way through increased support for war victims and a strong and diplomatic stance. For example, I welcome the decision yesterday to expel four senior Russian diplomats. That is the type of stand we must continue to make.

We should be proud that approximately 600 people are arriving every day to Ireland from Ukraine and that it is estimated that 30,000 Ukrainian refugees will be based here by the end of April. Let us start focusing more on how we can assist these people and less on how we can please NATO by compromising our proud and long-standing policy of military neutrality. We need to remember what is important in all of this.

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