Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I express my solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Their resistance has been heroic and inspirational in the face of the reprehensible actions of their much larger neighbour. The stories coming out of Ukraine about the war crimes that have been committed are sickening. The recent simulation shown on Russian TV must be met with a strong response. We are long past the time to expel the Russian ambassador. He needs to go - no ifs, buts or ands. We are a peaceful, neutral country, and this kind of behaviour must be confronted.

As the saying goes, a bayonet has a worker at both ends. Workers and their families are suffering to satisfy the bloodlust of Putin and his oligarchs. The casualties on both sides are mounting. The UN and the EU must use every available channel to try to get the message through that this war must end. Ireland must use its position on the Security Council to push for reform of the UN. It must also encourage the Chinese Government to withdraw any support it might be providing to Russia. I commend the work of the Red Cross and other groups and individuals who are working to ensure we welcome as many refugees as possible.

We learned at the Committee on Budgetary Oversight last night that we could see more than 100,000 people arrive here, with a contingency of €3 billion set aside. I was surprised to learn that the EU has not provided any funds and is probably unlikely to do so. It is clear we will need people to open up their homes to cope with the numbers. We need an assurance that local authority tenants who open up their homes will not face any repercussions, be that in respect of income thresholds or occupancy levels. We need adequate payments made available to support families who welcome refugees.

I am worried about the ongoing spin that this war is being used to abandon our long-held military neutrality.

Our Defence Forces need investment. Our serving personnel need to be paid better. Their working conditions need to improve and they need modern equipment. We need the basics first, such as radar and reliable vehicles. We do not need NATO levels of equipment. Why spend millions of euro on drones that can kill people from miles away when we have families living in emergency accommodation and old people on trolleys for days? We need to get our priorities right here.

Finally, I implore the Government not to forget the victims of war elsewhere in the world. I am thinking particularly of Palestinians who have endured Israeli aggression for decades. We must stand up for them. The first step must be to fulfil the programme for Government promise to recognise the state of Palestine.

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