Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to begin by welcoming the Ukrainian ambassador. I was extremely disappointed to hear Senator Malcolm Byrne use an issue like the horrific invasion of Ukraine to try to score a cheap party-political point. He could have taken one moment before speaking today to check with me or with any of my Sinn Féin colleagues and we would have informed him that our MEP, Chris MacManus, is unwell at the moment and that is why he missed the vote. This issue is surely beyond party politics. He should do better.