Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We will be supporting this motion. It is important we show our support to the International Criminal Court, ICC, in conducting investigations into war crimes anywhere, and certainly in Ukraine. We are aware there are investigators on the ground in Ukraine who are operating under very difficult conditions. Ireland, with all the people from Ukraine who have come here, has been very supportive of the Ukrainian community. There has to be a real sense that Russia will be held to account for what is going on and for the terrible trauma so many people in Ukraine are suffering. It is important we use every opportunity we have to express our outrage at what has happened and what Putin has visited on Ukraine and the world.

As many have said, it has been a long time since we have had a war on this scale in Europe. I think the Balkans in the 1990s was the last time we had something similar. It is deplorable that in 2022 we are in this situation, with tanks and missiles and armies invading a country. It is just an outrage that cannot be allowed to pass.

The Minister, Deputy Coveney, visited Ukraine. What has happened in many of the areas in Ukraine, which the world has witnessed through the technology of television, and the outcome of Putin’s invasion have been a very clear breach of human rights laws and a tragedy for all of the people. We see bodies on the streets with their hands tied behind their back and shot in the back of the head. These are innocent civilians. We have seen that across many areas in Ukraine. Clearly, those who are responsible for that have to be held to account.

On what is happening in Mariupol, it is just outrageous that the Russian army would continue to bombard a city knowing that practically the only people who are left there are civilians. It continues to do that day in, day out, to practically wipe it off the face of the map. It is an outrage. We have to have a means of holding it to account because one day this war will be over. One day that will come to pass and it will have to be sorted out and the sooner that day comes, the better.

On the role of Eurojust and of gathering all the evidence, we have to have a proper mechanism with which to put it all together. Ireland has a role to play in that. Many of the refugees who are coming here have footage on their mobile phones of atrocities they have witnessed. I think the Minister of State mentioned that there was a role for An Garda Síochána, possibly looking to carry out investigations with people who come here. That needs to be looked at as well. We certainly need to gather evidence and feed that in wherever we can. All of us know and have spoken to people from Ukraine who have come here and who have witnessed the most horrific of situations in their home country and want to see justice being brought to bear.

On the issue of how we deal with Putin and this war in the here and now, I welcome the European Union’s move to bring in more sanctions in regard to oil and all of that. However, a little bit of me is thinking, “What other despot will we buy oil from instead?” If we are not buying it from Russia, will we be buying it from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else where their bib is not clean in regard to their actions and respect for human rights? It is the same in many of these situations. All of this is worthy of very deep consideration in terms of how we can progress in a way that will work. If oil and gas prices go up and Europe is not taking gas from Russia, Russia will start selling it to other countries at a higher price than it is getting from Europe. It is difficult to see how sanctions can work to stop this from happening. Internationally, that is one of the problems we have to try to work out in terms of how we are going to resolve this issue. The authorities in Moscow are not for turning. That is the problem internationally. However, having said that, one day it will come to pass that these issues will have to be dealt with. When that happens, we need to have the evidence and everything has to be done to ensure we have that evidence. That is why Ireland should have no hesitation in adopting this measure and ensuring that we have it in place as quickly as possible. We should co-operate with all of the other countries in Europe and the world to hold to account those who have carried out these terrible atrocities.

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