Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Ward and I had the harrowing but insightful experience of visiting Kyiv in Ukraine for two days at the invitation of the Chairman of its parliament. We were the first two parliamentarians to visit that parliament, and it has asked that people keep visiting because doing so shows the EU's support for Ukraine and opposes Russia's propaganda.We visited Bucha where 117 people from ten years of age upwards were murdered simply because they were Ukrainian citizens. We visited Borodianka which was the first town that was essentially decimated by missile strikes. The Russians chose buildings they knew would crumble and collapse quickly on top of people who were hiding. People from the age of four were found crushed. It was an awful experience.

We are part of a group of parliamentarians from across the world, which is called United for Ukraine. The sole mission of the group is to try to get the Ukrainian Government’s message across to as many governments around the world as quickly as possible. Part of that is in terms of more weapons because the type of war has changed. The Russian forces have retreated so the types of weapons Ukrainians need are different. They need more sanctions against countries that are in some way facilitating Russia; they need sanctions against Russian television which is spreading propaganda by the people who support this war; and crucially, they need support for EU candidate status for Ukraine in June, a role in which Ireland can play a part.

As Members know President Zelenskyy and most MPs are in Ukraine all the time and have not fled. Many of the citizens, in particular women and children, have fled. A number of Ukrainians have travelled to countries around Europe and to Washington to continue delivering the message President Zelenskyy wants to get across, which is unity within Europe towards Ukraine and to fight and defeat Russia.

While I was there, I invited those MPs from the Ukrainian Parliament to visit Ireland to deliver that message. I have written to the Cathaoirleach and the Leader to request them to open up the Seanad for those MPs when they come here. They have accepted my invitation and they will be here in a number of weeks. It would be a great opportunity for the Seanad to give them a platform to deliver that message in regard to more weapons, more sanctions, EU status and funding to pay for essential services they are going to have challenges with over the coming months.

There is a real opportunity for them to make their statements on the floor of this House. We have done this with MEPs over the past number of months and that has been really successful. In their roles as Cathaoirleach and as Leader, it would be a wonderful opportunity for them. I do not think anyone in this House would disagree with having three or four MPs from Ukraine speak on behalf of their president and to show the unity for which they are so grateful. At every meeting we had, whether it was with the vice prime minister, the chairman of the House, the minister for defence or the minister for internal affairs, all they kept saying to us was that Ireland had been supporting them from the very start and they asked if we could convince other European countries to step up as well because there is a narrative that they have, but they have not fully. We can play a role to make sure that happens.