Marie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

The image from Ukraine that many of us saw last night and today in the newspapers and in other media of the heavily pregnant woman being stretchered out of a bombed maternity hospital is one that will stay in my head and, I am sure, the heads of many others for a long time. Russia is waging a barbaric war. I have been struck, having talked to Russians and Slavs here in Ireland and abroad over recent days, by the shame they believe Vladimir Putin is bringing to their country.

Ireland has very few tools available in this war and in the fight for democracy other than our voices and our money. There has been an enormous outpouring of both logistical and financial support to the Red Cross and other organisations, but it is a matter of encouraging that further. I commend the really important work being done in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council at present. I refer to the motion passed last night by my colleague, Councillor Peter O'Brien, to rename Orwell Road, where the Russian Embassy is located, "Independent Ukraine Road". Some might say that is just a gesture, but it is an important one and it is important symbolism in our stand with the Ukrainian people. I very much hope that our colleagues on Dublin City Council will follow through with the motion on that name change that will come before them next week.

There has been a lot of frustration over the past 24 hours about the price gouging we now see by some fuel companies in response to the excise cuts overnight. There are serious questions for the companies involved and for the Government. There is a real issue here. We cannot complain about exploitation of the excise reductions and lament that this is happening when the Government has powers under the Consumer Protection Act 2007 to impose maximum fuel prices. If we have learned anything over the past 14 years, it is that the impossible is possible. The Government now needs to act to use those provisions within the Consumer Protection Act 2007 to impose maximum prices.