Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Deputy raising this important issue. However, we are in a war situation on the Continent of Europe. These are not normal times. An illegal and immoral war is being waged by Russia on Ukraine. That war is being carried out in a manner that targets civilians. Putin is weaponising migration, energy and food. This has caused significant economic upheaval. About 14 million people have been displaced. It is the worst humanitarian crisis on the Continent of Europe since the Second World War. I understand that 7 million of those people are internally displaced in Ukraine and the other 7 million have fled the war and moved across Europe. People are very fearful. In the latest phase of the war, Putin has decided to target critical energy infrastructure in order to try to freeze the inhabitants of Ukraine during winter, thereby making life unlivable for them and causing them to flee. It is a deliberate war tactic.

As a nation, we must have some moral values. The entirety of Europe has to hold its nerve and stand up to this. We must not allow ourselves to become fractious or split from each other in terms of rebutting what is happening.

To me, what is going on is unthinkable, as is the manner in which Russia is targeting the war. It has consequences. I think up to 63,000 and maybe more Ukrainians have now come into the country. I want to thank the people across the length and breadth of the country, including in Kerry and the Deputy is correct in saying the numbers have been particularly high in Kerry, who have welcomed people into their communities and who have worked very hard to make Ukrainians feel at home. I do not think the vast majority of Irish people see it as our own versus the Ukrainians who came in. Rather, they see it as a matter of what we can do to help.

It is challenging for many communities, of that there is no doubt. For our schools and in many areas, it is challenging. I pay tribute to many principals across the country, to boards of management and to teachers who brought Ukrainians into their schools and who are working to help those Ukrainians navigate education in this country while also continuing to access education back in Ukraine. Many Ukrainian parents are doing that with a view to the war eventually ending and they can be in a position to bring their families back and to reunite with their families.

We have a whole range of plans. We have started rapid build housing for Ukrainian families. We hope to do 700 by early next year. We will also now do rapid build housing for social housing in Ireland. Advanced manufacturing technology, which is the term in construction technology and is offsite manufacturing, can assist in more rapid construction of housing. That is something we need to embrace more strongly in the country. Given the wider issues that exist in the area of housing we need to build more and at a more rapid place.

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