Maria McCormack (Sinn Fein)

I wish to give a special mention to the Ukrainian choir that has been set up locally in Portlaoise. It is fantastic and brings so much love and light to our community. Like other Senators have said, with the mixture in our schools and so on, it has been such a positive experience for us. For all the Ukrainians coming over here, it is at a time when they are in dire distress, but they can bring so much light to our communities. However, it is our job as a neutral country to protect where we can. I welcome the ambassador to the House.

Since February 2022, Russia has been inflicting death and destruction on Ukrainian people on an immense scale, resulting in the mass displacement of millions of people, widespread human rights abuses and the clear attempt by Russia to expand its own territory at the power and expense of its neighbours. I commend Fianna Fáil for bringing forward this motion and the amendments by Senators Stephenson and Higgins.

We extend our solidarity to the people of Ukraine who have endured the most horrific three and a half years imaginable and who have faced this invasion with tremendous resolve and courage. Hundreds of thousands of people, including many women and children, have been killed. Ukraine's infrastructure and economy have been devastated. Russia's attacks on the civilian population, as well on medical facilities and electrical infrastructure, are nothing short of war crimes and have to be condemned in the strongest way possible. It has been horrific in every sense of the word as we have looked on. Putin's invasion cannot be defended. This conflict urgently needs to come to an end, with countless lives being destroyed every day this war continues.

All parties involved, including the European Union and the United States, have crucial roles to play in bringing an end to this conflict by putting the lives and well-being of the people above their own narrow geopolitical interests. Ireland has rightly supported the Ukrainian people amid the crisis caused by Russia's illegal invasion and should continue to use our neutral position to call for a sustainable, permanent and just outcome to this war through a negotiated peace settlement. Our status as a neutral country is a valuable tool in supporting the peace process in Ukraine while providing us with an opportunity to identify breaches in international law, occupation, annexation and military aggression where they exist. We should be investing our energies and resources in conflict resolution rather than conflict participation.

Ireland must remain militarily unaligned, but that does not mean that we are morally neutral or afraid to take action to punish Russia for its illegal actions. We should be taking actions in response to clear breaches of international law. Ireland can and should be advocating for economic and diplomatic sanctions and working to facilitate peace talks. Peace will, hopefully, be delivered before too long although when and on what terms we do not know yet. However, there will undoubtedly be a need to support the Ukrainian people further in rebuilding their country and repairing the damage of the Russian invasion. Thousands of Ukrainian people have come to call Ireland home and very many will want to return home once a sustainable and just peace is achieved. Ireland has supported the Ukrainian people in the wake of this invasion. This solidarity should continue until Ukraine is restored as a stable, prosperous and peaceful country.