James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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98. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the action that is being taken in relation to Russia's campaign to remove Ukrainian children to Russia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13639/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland is deeply concerned by mounting evidence that Russia is forcibly transferring Ukrainian children, either to parts of Ukraine’s territory temporarily controlled or occupied by Russia, or to Russia itself. Concerns in relation to Russia’s actions in this regard have been raised by credible bodies, including the OSCE’s Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and the UN Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights.

Such actions, if confirmed, would be in violation of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Russia is a party to. These actions could also amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity.

Ireland has raised this issue in our statements in multilateral fora, including the Human Rights Council, both in national capacity and as part of the European Union. We will continue to do so, to highlight our concerns and to hold Russia to account.

Ireland also co-sponsored a resolution of the UN Human Rights Council establishing an Independent International Commission of Inquiry to investigate all alleged violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law and related crimes in the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The Commission will establish the facts, circumstances and root causes of any such violations and abuses. The Commission has already provided an interim report to the Human Rights Council in September 2022 and to the General Assembly. The Commission have reported that, among other grave human rights violations, people have been unlawfully deported to the Russian Federation. Ireland will support the renewal of the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry at the 52nd Session of the Human Rights Council.

I welcome the decision by the International Criminal Court’s Prosecutor Office to issue arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova in respect of possible war crimes related to the unlawful deportation and transfer of children from Ukraine to Russia. Ireland is a strong supporter of the independence and integrity of the International Criminal Court and its vital work in investigating and prosecuting war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Ireland will continue to support accountability measures for violations of international law committed in Ukraine, including through support for the ICC Prosecutor’s office, and intervening in support of Ukraine in cases against the Russian Federation before the International Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights.