Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

A.

To insert the following after "status for European Union (EU) membership to Ukraine;": "— condemns threats of use of nuclear weapons, and condemns all nuclear threats, whether they be explicit or implicit and irrespective of the circumstances;

— welcomes the solidarity shown by all EU Member States in hosting Ukrainian people fleeing from conflict under the EU Temporary Protection Directive;

— thanks the Irish people for the support and kindness they have shown to the Ukrainian people who have come to Ireland over the past year;

— recognises the suffering that this war is causing to ordinary citizens right all across the world;

— reaffirms Ireland’s longstanding and internationally respected constitutional neutrality noting Article 29 of Bunreacht na hÉireann’s commitment to the ideal of peace and the peaceful settlement of international disputes;" B.

To insert the following after "impunity for such crimes; and": "— full respect by countries involved in conflict for the recognition of the fundamental right of citizens; to freedom of speech; to join political parties; to trade union membership; to free association including involvement in pacifist movements; to the freedom of the press and observation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and;

— calls for the UN to immediately engage with all parties in pursuit of an immediate ceasefire to end the ongoing slaughter of innocent people and negotiate a settlement in line with international law, and; " C.

To insert the following after "sovereignty and territorial integrity of states": "— it is incumbent on Ireland, as a neutral state to be ready to play an active part in pursuit of a peaceful solution to the conflict and support an end to hostilities.".

It is important we amend this motion and that the amendment from the Opposition be taken on board. It is a pity the whole procedure was not handled in such a way that amendments could be submitted, exchanged, debated and discussed before coming before the House. It would have been possible to get a motion that could have been agreed by the whole House. Obviously, the Government has taken a different road and that is disappointing. It will conflate the difficulties in getting an agreed wording with opposition to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, which is not the case. We should not be blindly following the very different position the Government is adopting in relation to that. Our views on this matter are worthwhile and deserve to have a hearing and be discussed rather than the way the Government has dealt with this today.

Members will see there is nothing in the amendment I have put forward that is against the people of Ukraine. It actually strengthens the motion. We have to recognise one aspect which is very worrying. We should be able to say this, despite the fact we have supported the people of Ukraine and helped them and have so many people here - rightly so. We should have those people here and we should have more if we could accommodate and support them. However, we have to recognise as well that the Ukrainian Government has taken some positions and decisions since the start of the war, and before that, in shutting down legal and verifiable opposition. That is even to the extent that it shut down and jailed pacificists for speaking out in favour of peace in Ukraine. That is wrong. We should be big enough to be able to recognise that and say that rather than just blindly papering over it and going on as if it is solely the Russians who are the cause of this conflict. They are, but the Ukrainian Government has done things that I do not think we should stand over or support as a democratically elected Government. We should be able to say that, as well as offering support to the people of Ukraine who end up coming here and need our support. We should be able to say that.

I believe it is important. The extract to the text of the amendment I have put forward today reads:

[with] full respect by countries involved in conflict for the recognition of the fundamental right of citizens; to freedom of speech; to join political parties; to [join] trade union membership; to free association including involvement in pacifist movements; to the freedom of the press and observation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

I do not see how that is objectionable to anybody, and if it is, there is something wrong with what we are putting forward here today.

It is important we also recognise that Ireland is supposedly, and was up until this war, a neutral country, and that should be recognised in the amendments we have put forward. That is why one part of the amendment to the motion I have put forward also reads that "it is incumbent on Ireland, as a neutral state to be ready to play an active part in pursuit of a peaceful solution to the conflict and support an end to hostilities". I do not see how that is wrong either in respect of this motion. The different parts of the amendment strengthen the motion. I would like to hear why they are not acceptable, or if they are acceptable to the Government when it comes down to being voted on, that there are a number of other amendments which have been circulated which should also be taken on board.

There is no doubt there are many Ukrainian people in Ireland who are living and contributing to our society, and rightly so. That is a right and is what we should be doing as citizens who recognise that people involved in conflict need our support and help. We should, rightly, be very proud of that also. That does not mean we should be blindly supporting aggression or war in our sights because war is wrong. We should be pursuing peace, which is the actual way this will be resolved.

No matter what happens, when this war comes to an end, and it will, there will be a ceasefire and there will be negotiations. We should be in position then to ensure and fight for those negotiations to take place sooner rather than later and save more civilians and people who need peace.

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