Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have two questions. First, I want to revisit the question just posed. I find the Minister of State's response entirely unacceptable. I refer to the notion of not overreacting. There has never, from my recollection, been a situation where the Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann was sanctioned and told he was not allowed to visit a country with which we have diplomatic relations. Where 50 Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas, including members of the Government, including the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, are told without precedent that they are personae non grataein a country with which we have diplomatic relations, it is hardly an overreaction to do something stronger than simply say Putin is trying to divide us. Putin is a bully and, like all bullies, needs to be stood up to. I ask the Minister of State to reflect again on what action the Government will take if what has been described proves to be the case.

My second question is on the issue of the Horn of Africa. I am deeply concerned that because of the focus on Ukraine, an increasing number of countries are retrenching their bilateral supports to developing countries in general, but those in Africa in particular. This happened in a now-non-EU country, the UK, when its Department for International Development was subsumed under the department responsible for foreign affairs. I understand it is now happening in Sweden. There is much more focus on migration in Europe and Ukraine, and areas like the Horn of Africa are being taken out of focus. In his discussions with his EU colleagues in particular, will the Minister of State ensure there is a focus on catastrophic events in the Horn of Africa?

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