Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the news today from Germany on what seems to be the Chancellor's change of strategy with regard to giving tanks and weapons to Ukraine and allowing other countries to do the same. Germany has been put under considerable pressure with regard to this over the past number of days and weeks, especially from the Baltic countries about showing solidarity and support to Ukraine. It has been quite difficult politically for Germany to do this, but it is important it is done. However, it needs to be done in high numbers, rather than just a token couple of tanks here and there. Ukraine needs a serious amount of weaponry coming into February and training on how to use it.

It is about time we had another serious discussion about supporting our European colleagues, especially in the Baltic region, who decided last week to expel ambassadors from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia because of the treatment the Estonian ambassador in Russia received. It would be a very strong message from a western country such as Ireland to support them by expelling the Russian ambassador here as well. That has been called for numerous times in this House. The argument that was made by the previous Minister for Foreign Affairs, and I suspect will be made by the new Minister for Foreign Affairs, is that we could only do it as part of a European-wide decision rather than unilaterally. Three European countries have now expelled the Russian ambassadors from their countries. We should be supporting those countries and doing the same.

I welcome the announcement by the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, on the support for communities which have taken in Ukrainians. There is a €50 million recognition fund. Every community throughout the country has taken in Ukrainians and supported them, but we should recognise some areas more than others. I am thinking of hubs that have been used. GAA clubs have used hubs. There are examples in County Tipperary. Clonmel soccer club has used the Dr. O'Callaghan centre to take in hundreds of Ukrainians before they move to more permanent residences. Littleton is the same and Fethard was one of the first in the country to do this.A total of €900,000 of that money is coming to Tipperary. We should prioritise the ones that have done the most in terms of supporting it and Clonmel Soccer Club in the Dr. Pat O'Callaghan Sports Complex is certainly one of them.