James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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83. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way that Ireland is helping to ensure accountability for violations of international law and war crimes committed in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57839/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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When Ireland sought a seat at the UN Security Council, we did so with the intention of using our position to amplify the voices of small countries and with a commitment to upholding the rules-based international order. During our time on the Council, we have upheld these commitments and used our membership to hold Russia accountable and to urge it to end its war in Ukraine immediately. 

Ireland supports investigations into all apparent war crimes, and accountability for those responsible. At the Security Council, Ireland has been clear that parties to conflict must comply with international humanitarian law, including the obligation to distinguish between civilians and combatants.  We have condemned indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks and will continue to call on Russia to comply with all its obligations under international humanitarian law. Additionally, Ireland is one of over 40 countries that has referred the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Ireland has also submitted a request for leave to intervene as a third party in the proceedings brought by Ukraine against Russia before the European Court of Human Rights. This case concerns violations of the European Convention on Human Rights committed during the invasion. In addition, Ireland filed a declaration of intervention in the case brought by Ukraine against Russia under the Genocide Convention at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

While Ireland remains a militarily neutral country, we have not been politically or morally neutral in response to Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine. The Government remains committed to ensuring accountability for international crimes and other violations of international law committed in Ukraine and continues to examine all options for further supporting effective efforts to that end. We will continue to use our voice to call for accountability for all war crimes arising from this unprovoked and unjustified invasion.