Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In his continued conversations with Secretary of State Blinken, I hope the Tánaiste will continue to underscore the important role the US has played over those 25 years. In many ways, the US in the past played a role as a counterbalance to the British taking a more selfish, strategic and economic interest in the North. One of the most powerful things in the Downing Street Declaration was the British Government's admission that it no longer has a selfish, strategic or economic interest in Northern Ireland. It allowed many people to take a leap of faith. Unfortunately, Brexit forced Britain to have a more selfish, strategic and economic interest in the North and that has led to many of the issues we face. The US has a continuing role to play.

I also ask the Minister to impress on the Secretary of State the issue of Ukraine. The US could do far more in respect of admitting to the country people fleeing the war in Ukraine. The US often looks back and regrets the numbers it took in during the Second World War. The support the US is giving in terms of military aid and other aid, which is a matter the Tánaiste spoke to the Secretary of State about, is important but it is also important that the US also admits people fleeing the war.

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