Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for taking the time to come in to respond to this issue. I am proud of Ireland's response to the crisis in Ukraine and to the invasion by Russia. We can also be pleased that there has been a cross-continental and global response to that and as members of the European Union, we can be proud of how our political Union has responded. In Ireland the Government deserves credit but so do communities and at the local level people deserve credit for how they have welcomed Ukrainians into this country and done whatever they can to assist them. There is still a lot of work to be done on that front and there are a number of actions that need to be taken.

I am conscious of Resolution 2436 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and what it has set out as a checklist of things we should be doing. First is legislating for the crime of aggression, something that is contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights and something that was part of the Kampala amendments to the convention in 2010, led by Liechtenstein and which Ireland signed up to in 2018. That followed the UN General Assembly resolution which stated that aggression includes, for example, the bombing of another country, invasion and the blockading of ports, all of which we see happening in Ukraine. It would be appropriate for Ireland, therefore, to legislate for that crime as well. Other measures would include a universal civil jurisdiction that would allow us to freeze and confiscate foreign assets, particularly Russian assets in Europe and Ireland, to allow them to be put towards the reconstruction of Ukraine after the invasion concludes. Now that Russia has essentially been put out of the Council of Europe, we have a limited window within which we can bring a suit against Russia for breaches of the convention under Article 33. That window closes on 16 September and Ireland should be looking at that as something to do in order to put down a clear marker. I am also conscious that the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, and the Government have earmarked €4 million of support for the International Criminal Court, ICC, which I support. Some €1 million of that has been delivered and €3 million is yet to be delivered. I wonder if consideration should be given to that remaining €3 million going to the Ukrainian prosecutor on the ground. As counsel before the ICC but also as somebody who has spoken to the prosecutor in Ukraine, I believe they have a greater ability to affect that on the ground.

In following the recommendation of the European Commission on the recognition of professional qualifications, this is a key area where Ireland can deliver for Ukrainian professionals who have come here and to any other European state. It covers education, healthcare, engineering and law and includes people who come here with a particular qualification or skill set. In accordance with the 2001 directive on the minimum standards for people enjoying temporary protection, for example, we must facilitate them in working here, either in an employed context or in a self-employed context. Although the recommendation may not be legally binding, it sets out a clear statement and in the first instance I would like Ireland to confirm if we are totally in accordance with that recommendation. What are we doing as a State to say to professional regulatory bodies that we must implement this recommendation, facilitate Ukrainians coming here and ensure that they can work and be part of the community for as long as is needed? They should be able to integrate into a professional environment here with the greatest possible ease and the least possible bureaucratic resistance.What this is about is facilitating people who do not particularly want to be in Ireland. They are here because a conflict has exploded in their home country. When they come here, they should be facilitated in continuing their lives in as normal a way as possible, however perverse that might be in the current circumstances. That involves the Government putting pressure on those regulatory bodies to ensure that the recommendation of the Commission is followed.