Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach has spoken about the fact that there will be a greater level of information with regard to the conversations on Türkiye and Cyprus. He referred somewhat positively to his own engagements on that matter, but I hope we will get some further information. We are dealing with a changed set of geopolitical circumstances because of Russia, which has been the aggressor in chief. I do not think anyone has any doubt about an imperialist act that has led to the deaths of many people, including a huge number of civilians. We all know the issues that exist, whether it is the major environmental impact caused by the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam or the war crimes that have been perpetrated. I agree with the many others who spoke earlier about that matter. I welcome what the Taoiseach said in this regard.

A theatre of war is a terrible place, but cluster munitions do not add anything but death and destruction. Such munitions can cause death and destruction long after a war has finished. That obviously has to be put to the Americans, who have provided these munitions to the Ukrainians. We need to ensure that this matter is raised with our European allies and everyone else at every opportunity. This is not going to create a good set of circumstances for the people who live in Ukraine. As the Taoiseach stated, they will be living with the impact of the war for a considerable period.

We talk about the absolute necessity to appear to be in the right when it comes to questions of sovereignty and territorial integrity. Like Deputy Carthy, I will comment on Palestine. We know the war crimes that the Palestinian people are dealing with and the day-to-day system of apartheid to which they are subject. I have often heard from the Government, particularly from the Tánaiste, that now is not the time to discuss particular actions we would like to see happen, such as recognising Palestine or progressing the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018. The Government can definitely move with regard to Deputy John Brady's legislation that would make it illegal for the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, ISIF, as a State entity, to be involved in investing in companies that are involved in the occupied territories. We need to make sure that happens.

The Tánaiste has stated that he is seeking like-minded states interested in coming to some sort of agreement. I agree that this would have a greater impact, but I would like to know what conversations possibly happening at EU Council meetings - on the side or whatever - to bring that about. If it is not going to happen, we will need to make the right decision. We will be backed by the Irish people and by many more besides in the sense of our standing on the side of right. That is what needed to happen in the context of the apartheid regime that obtained in South Africa some years ago. The international dimension was a huge part of ending apartheid, so we need to see that happen.

I imagine that the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, will go into a greater level of detail on the wider issue of accession. I know we talk about making sure that a roadmap is provided with regard to the likes of Ukraine. We know Moldova and Georgia are, to a degree, somewhat grouped with Ukraine, but there is also the issue of the western Balkans. There are the particular issues that happened in Kosovo recently, and what engagements we have had from the point of view of bringing matters to a better place or offering people a roadmap in order that there will be a solution.

I accept that we need to do what we can in respect of migration. What we do needs to be comprehensive, particularly as we are talking about people who are fleeing absolute disaster. We are also talking about facilitating economic migrants.

I want to ask about structural reforms and how we hope to bring about strategic autonomy, while at the same time introducing the concept of justice.

We should not bring about in Europe the idea of a controlled and contained scenario where we basically screw over the rest of the world. Doing so would not be useful.

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