Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Sherlock about the horrific bombing yesterday in Ukraine. More disturbing, however, is that those infamous words "fake news" are now being used by the Russians where women and children have been maimed and killed. It is just shocking. All we can do is hope there is some type of breakthrough and ceasefire there because it is very much a doomsday situation for everybody.

I also support Senator Sherlock in her comments on the fuel situation and fuel pricing. I raised last night at our parliamentary party meeting the fact that many filling stations are owned by wholesalers. Let us not forget that. Many of the people in them are managers. Sometimes we blame the retailers. Senator Sherlock is right that the Taoiseach indicated that the Government would pursue these people to see if this is going on. It is very peculiar that over recent days petrol and diesel prices have gone from A to B to C to D all of a sudden. We have a reserve of 90 days in this country, so I appeal to people not to get into a panic.

Senator Carrigy is right that farmers, hauliers, coach drivers, the people who run school bus services and many others are under pressure now. I am satisfied, however, that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Government will come up with further supports and schemes. We are either with the Ukrainian people or we are not. If we are, we all have to accept we will face some pain. We cannot speak out of both sides of our mouths on this issue. What is happening is horrific, and there are consequences for every one of us. Absolutely, the Government must do everything to support vulnerable people, businesses and industry because everything could collapse if it does not. There will, however, be pain for every single one of us, and we have to be prepared to take some little bit of pain if we are genuine friends of the Ukrainian people.