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

First, to speak to Deputy Devlin I condemn the use of cluster bombs. It is reprehensible and cluster munitions are shocking. They have terrible impacts on children and on families after the war. Ireland will help in any way we can to de-mine the battlefield.

Deputy Griffin also made a very important point to maintain momentum in this war. This is a horrible war. Some 7 million Ukrainians have been displaced within Ukraine alone and it is similarly the case for millions more across Europe, as we know in this country. It is a horrible war which was started by Russia. It went in, invaded and attacked from day one. Europe has to make it very clear that enough is enough. If Ukraine fell in days or in weeks, Moldova would be challenged, Georgia would be in difficulty and the Baltics would be under pressure. That is the reality of it.

Deputy McNamara’s question surprises and worries me because accepting Ukraine’s joining the European Union is not about picking a fight with Russia. In fact I pushed strongly on the European Council for enlargement. As a result of the Ukrainian application, North Macedonia and Albania have progressed much faster. I have pushed very strongly that North Macedonia and Albania should be brought in very quickly.

There were other sorts of disputes going on initially between Greece and North Macedonia on the name of the country, and so forth, but my view is that geopolitical enlargement and the geopolitical objectives of the EU are such that we cannot ignore enlargement any longer or put it on the backburner.

See this speech in context