Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank all the Deputies who have raised a variety of questions. Deputy Malcolm Byrne raised an important issue in terms of Russia's aggression against Europe. I attended an event in the United Nations, chaired by Prime Minister Carney and President Zelensky and their respective spouses, in respect of the 20,000 abducted children. Ireland will continue to provide support. I would like to be in a position to support certain research in respect of those children to get them back. It is an appalling crime.

The Deputy referenced the violation of airspace in Estonia, Romania, Poland and other countries, and, most recently, Denmark. This is where all European leaders were gathering at an informal gathering and the European Political Community was gathering. As was said at that meeting, there was one accident, two accidents, but there is a pattern. There is a pattern of behaviour from the Russian Government and President Putin over the last year and a half or more, which is aggressive and poses a risk to European security and defence, particularly vital sub-sea critical infrastructure, and many of our utilities through cyberattacks and hybrid attacks - drones or other type of attacks. The Baltic states, Poland and others have experienced these on their territory. It is very serious. There is no sense in this House at all about how grave the situation is. At best, you could say it is reckless.

It is also happening in the United Kingdom. These hybrid-type attacks are reckless. We need a debate in the Dáil to increase the level of awareness in the House of what actually is happening and what Russia is up to. I repeat that critical subsea infrastructure is at risk from these types of activities. Our utilities are at risk. We had the HSE attack some years ago. We have to improve capability. Deputy Shay Brennan added to this. I will come back to Deputy Shane Moynihan's earlier point.

I believe we have to co-ordinate with fellow member states in Europe to protect against these cyberattacks and to share knowledge and information on where some of the shadow fleet is loitering and where the shadow fleet is turning up. We have to work with like-minded member states in order to make sure that we know what is going on, that others know what is going on and that it is co-ordinated. We will continue to co-ordinate and to work with others to gain knowledge.

Cyberattacks cannot be defended against without working with others. It is about sharing knowledge, expertise and information. This is why we have an individually tailored plan with NATO in terms of the issue of cybersecurity, subsea cables, knowledge, expertise, mentoring and training. It is needed. We need to get over any squeamishness about this in the world we live in today. If people do not believe this stuff, their heads are in the sand in terms of the threats that are out there now. Deputies Malcolm Byrne and Shay Brennan have outlined them in no uncertain terms. This is what I have to say right now. We are taking all of it very seriously. We had a discussion on energy security earlier and there is no question that ships have been loitering. Russia is gathering information all of the time in respect of the critical economic infrastructure that everyone in Europe depends on and the world depends on.

Deputy Shane Moynihan raised the issue of Sudan. He is one of the few Deputies who has raised it. Sudan is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. I spoke with the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, about Sudan. What is very disquieting about Sudan is the behaviour of other countries in the region, which are supporting one side or the other and using both sides as proxies in this war. These are countries that would have a different perspective on Gaza. The two do not match that easily. There is an inconsistency in approach, to say the least. Millions are starving and up to 12 million or 15 million people have been displaced in Sudan. South Sudan is in a challenging position as well. We constantly raise it at European Union forums and at the UN to see what can be done to bring this to a resolution.

On Gaza, Deputy Ó Cearúil is correct. I would pay tribute to President Trump for getting a ceasefire. It should have happened earlier. I thank the Deputy for paying tribute to our diplomatic corps. People wanted us to break diplomatic relations and call back our ambassadors from Israel and other places. Our ambassador in Israel has worked hard under a lot of pressure to represent Ireland and Irish citizens well in Gaza, on the flotilla or wherever. Our ambassador in Israel has been to the fore in providing consular services and doing her best to make sure our people do not come to any harm. Our ambassador in Cairo has been superb throughout this entire period in facilitating people to leave Gaza. Our ambassadors in Jordan and the UAE have all worked together. Do not ever underestimate the importance of diplomatic relationships in terms of doing the basic necessities and being there to keep the channels of communication open. I am glad we did not break off diplomatic relations for this reason, among others.

I also pay tribute to the medics in Gaza. Deputy Martin Daly, who is a doctor, has raised this with me. He suggested to me in writing that they should get the Nobel Peace Prize for what they have done in the most extraordinary of circumstances, under huge threat to their lives. Many did die. The work they did is quite exceptional and should be recalled or acknowledged.

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