Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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183. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the response of his Department to the Ukrainian war crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13732/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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A high-level group has been established in my Department to monitor and respond as appropriate to the crisis in Ukraine. The group is informed by close contact with other Government Departments, agencies and key transport stakeholders and seeks to ensure a coordinated response to the evolving situation.  As part of this process, contingency plans in the Department and across all agencies are being reviewed and refreshed where necessary in response to the potential impacts on the transport sector.

The Department of Transport also participates in an EU Contact Network which comprises all Member States and representatives from the European Commission. The Network, established in response to COVID, is now solely focussed on the Ukraine conflict. At its meetings, the Network receives reports on developments on humanitarian issues and transport-related impacts at the EU/Ukraine borders, including the impacts on supply chains.  The Network seeks to identify potential actions at EU level to ease the issues at the Ukraine borders, including the transport of refugees from Ukraine.