Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is right that we had a minute's silence today and that we have statements on the illegal invasion by Russia of Ukraine. It is important that we continue to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine. I welcome the visitors to the Gallery and also those who have left. The figures are indeed shocking, with 12 million people displaced from their homes in Ukraine. As of 31 January, the UN has advised that there had been 12,605 deaths and 29,000 people had been injured. I am sure the figures are much higher. It is really important that we call out what Russia has done and what Ireland has done in welcoming over 120,000 Ukrainians into our country. They set an example of how to integrate with their ability with languages, and indeed with traditional Irish music and the Irish language. All that is to be praised.

I would like to make more general points in the context of the looming change of legislation on the triple lock. If we have learned anything it is, as Deputy Richard Barrett has just said, that there are countries we certainly cannot trust. America is one of those and England and France are others. What is behind their motivation is simply an arms industry, more war, ongoing war, normalising war and making huge profits. That needs to be called out over and over. The Government is now using what Russia has done while not calling out America. In the speech today Trump was called our friend, Trump who has trampled on international law, supporting Israel trampling on international law and reducing Gaza to nothing. That is our friend and we do not seem to see any contradiction in calling out Russia - rightly so - but not calling out America or any of the other major powers. I have a huge problem with that.

I have a huge problem with the EU, which has lost its direction. It talks about a strategic compass but does not talk about a moral compass. The head of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has said she stands shoulder to shoulder with Netanyahu. I have serious difficulties with that, as should all of us here in the seat of democracy in Ireland given our history of colonisation. We owe it to the people of Ukraine to stand with them given that we know what it is like to be colonised. We know how long it has taken to break away from that colonisation. We have taken a long time to break it in our minds as well. It is one thing to break it on land and another thing to break the mentality of the colonised. We should build on that history and our strength as an independent sovereign nation to call out truth to power, no matter where that is, certainly in relation to Russia and Putin but also in relation to America and all those in countries, including Britain, which has just decided to increase its defence spending while reducing its aid abroad.

As we talk about the displaced Ukrainians, with the greatest of respect, they are part of 120 million people displaced, the highest ever number fleeing from war, catastrophe and violence. We should use our voice on that as well.

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