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

I thank Deputy O'Sullivan and the other Deputies for raising the question. There is concern in the Ukrainian Government that we are losing sight of the war on Ukraine. It is not getting the same attention and focus within the House. What has happened to the children in Ukraine is abominable. It is very hard to comprehend how human beings can essentially deport 20,000 children having taken them from their homes, their localities, their villages. It is reprehensible. We announced that we would join the German-led Alliance for Gender-Responsive and Inclusive Recovery. We commit to integrating a gender perspective into our funding and resources, and support gender equality, and women's protection, participation and empowerment as primary priority objectives. We are doing that all over the world. It is a distinguishing feature of Irish diplomacy now. We are providing development support and aid and a human rights approach, such as through the Women, Peace and Security initiative. We will continue that in all conflict situations.

Deputy Howlin raised an important issue on Moldova. We do not widely discuss here the degree to which Russia is now engaged in hybrid attacks in many of Russia's neighbouring EU states. Some of this takes the form of arson, such as hiring local criminals to create a mini explosion in a shopping centre. Some of it can be attacks on utilities. Some of it can be the fomenting of anti-government protests. There is quite an active agenda there. Moldova, in particular, is probably at the frontier of that kind of activity in terms of elections and so on. The Government of Moldova and its people are under considerable pressure in that regard.

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