Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to give some time to Deputy Michael Healy-Rae.

First, gabhaim buíochas leis President Zelenskyy. Cuirim fáilte roimh gach duine, especially the diplomatic corp and Ambassador Gerasko, who is here and who paid a visit to my county last week and met the refugees who arrived in Cathair Dhún Iascaigh the day before. On behalf of the Rural Independent Group, I want to thank the Irish people from the bottom of my heart for opening their hearts and homes in the spirit of the meitheal, ní neart go cur le chéile as they always have done any time there was a need and they were asked. Every right-thinking person is praying to the man above, Almighty God, and his Blessed Mother too over this horrible, horrific war. It is an appalling vista. What we have seen in recent days makes it even more appalling and more difficult to imagine but the Irish people have stood neutral militarily. Being neutral has stood us in good stead. We have sent peacekeeping soldiers all over the world with the blue helmets, as has been referred to, and we are recognised for that throughout the world. We can play a huge and very important part in that role at this point in time.

I listened with interest to President Zelenskyy and his appeal for more supports. We can, and must, give more supports because, as I said, the people are doing so and we, as politicians, must do so. We must all put our shoulders to the wheel. Diplomatic pressure must be applied. More sanctions must be applied and we must try to hit the Russian oligarchs by turning off the money machine to them. I believe there is doublespeak going on. There are other conflicts that we have chosen to ignore, which are ongoing, but I am not going into that today. It is Ukraine’s day and it is important that it is.

I met a number of heart-broken people yesterday evening in St. Stephen’s Green. They gave me a little ribbon and asked me to wear it today which is why I am wearing it. They were praying for the family members they had lost. The torture they went through was unbelievable. In this modern era, it is unbelievable that we would have this vista of this bloody war so we must do everything we can in our own special way and remember people like Dan Breen, Seán Treacy and, indeed, Liam Lynch who lost his life 99 years ago this weekend.