Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Cork South-Central · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“That is important and the Minister and I share that view, much as we disagree on how it is not right to get rid of the triple lock. We have made that very clear and we think there is scope to deploy on peacekeeping missions elsewhere.”
“As I probably will not get more questions and it is my last contribution before the recess, I wish to take the opportunity to thank the staff of this institution and the Ceann Comhairle's office, who serve us so well.”
“We have all probably been guilty of the offence of going over time at different stages, I am sure. Despite our disagreements in relation to the triple lock, I think the Minister and I agree that peacekeeping missions are important.”
“In the context of the previous question, I submitted another question that was ruled out of order, which is fair enough. I probably did not word my question as precisely as Deputy Gibney worded hers. I record my concern about legal representation in that regard. It is important to say that. This question relates to another welfare issue.”
“The Minister said that she is not pushing anybody to the courts. I am not a doctor and cannot make a clinical decision, but if people suffered negative health outcomes that they believe have a connection to their clinical exposure, and they have never taken a case, how precisely is the Government going to help them?”
“The Minister talks about the need to ensure that Defence Forces personnel have the ability to deploy internationally and are not prevented from participating in rescue missions. I have no problem at all with head No. 7. Actually, most of the legislation is fine. It is just head No.”
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“Unfortunately, Europe, the United States and the western world as a whole have not prioritised this appalling stuff. This is the biggest conflict on the face of the planet at the minute. A total of 12 million people are refugees who have been dislocated from their homes, many of them in neighbouring countries, in other parts of Sudan, such as South Sudan, in Egypt and so on. That is twice the population of this whole island who are after being dislocated and removed from their homes by this conflict. They are very often under the threat of death and fleeing for their lives. There are tens of thousands of people who are believed to have left El Fasher. It is not known where they are. They have not reached a safe place. We do not know the full picture of what has happened to all those people.”
“People - men, women and children - were being cut down on the street by gun and blade for their ethnicity indiscriminately. That is the situation we are talking about. It has gotten worse; it is escalating. After Rwanda and much the same as after the Second World War, people said that this must never be allowed to happen again. The international community must never turn its eyes away again. Yet, this is what has been happening. To some extent, unfortunately, it is being encouraged by external forces. We have talked about some of them, such as the United Arab Emirates. These are powerful countries with connections to the West. There are others encouraging it as well but it is important that we use our influence with those whom we have influence. Ireland is not a major country but we must use whatever leverage we have.”
“For his lunch that day, the only food he could put his hands on was a lumpy brown mush. It was some type of animal fodder normally fed to camels and cows. Several days later he was killed in an attack on a mosque by a drone. We can multiple Dr. Selik by 100, 1,000 or 10,000 because that is the scale that we are talking about. The number of people who have been killed is unclear. It is difficult to establish exactly. Some estimates have put it up at 150,000 people in the past two years. The scenes we saw from El Fasher were perhaps the moment that maybe the world began to pay attention but it is far from the first or the only place that this is kind of slaughter has taken place. The scenes are redolent of Rwanda. They remind one of that kind of genocidal behaviour. That is what is going on.”
“Tá mé ag roinnt ama le mo chomhghleacaithe. I thank the Business Committee and the Minister for agreeing to these statements. Some other parties and I have been looking for it for some weeks. The Minister made reference to it not getting the attention it deserves. That is undoubtedly true. It is probably true in this country too. The situation the people of Sudan are facing does not bear thinking about. One of the journalists perhaps best known for reporting on the conflict in Sudan is an Irishman, Declan Walsh. I read a piece by him in late September or early October. It was before the fall of El Fasher. He interviewed a man, Dr. Selik. He spoke about the things he had seen. He spoke about seeing a pregnant woman bleeding to death for the want of simple medicine.”
“I appreciate that it is denied. Whether those denials are credible is another question. I welcome that the Minister of State will meet the ambassador later. It is important that this issue is on the agenda. Unfortunately, it seems that the people of Sudan are to some extent pawns in a struggle for regional influence and they are paying a very high price for it. The other humanitarian element of it is the huge refugee crisis. The neighbouring countries, particularly Egypt and perhaps Chad and others, have significant numbers of refugees. I understand from what the Minister of State said that the Irish Government will continue to support investment in ensuring those refugees are supported. It is the largest movement of people in the world at the moment. Literally millions of people are looking for refuge.”
“I welcome the statement. It is perhaps more robust than the statements made previously, in the latter part. The people of Sudan have suffered for a considerable period and unfortunately the hope they had a few years ago that a democratic settlement would emerge has not materialised. This appalling conflict is now happening. It is important that all parties to the conflict, the government forces and the RSF, seek peace to the greatest extent possible. The Government just made a good statement about the flow of weapons. It has been widely commented on and is widely believed that the Government of the United Arab Emirates is one of the surrogates. The Irish Government seems to be reluctant to identify that. Has the Government raised directly with those governments that are escalating the conflict our concerns about the flow of arms?”
“The scenes we are seeing in the media on our phones and televisions from Sudan are horrific. They are redolent of the kinds of scenes we saw in Rwanda 30 years ago. People are being cut down in the street and being slaughtered indiscriminately and unfortunately it seems to be escalating. Tens of thousands of people in Darfur are unaccounted for. We do not know where they are or whether they have got out of El-Fasher. We will have a debate on it later, but it is vital that we keep focus on this issue. I look forward to hearing about the Government's position.”
“What legal obstacles did not exist in the other case that exist in this one? It is very hard to understand. I made the point that the Minister was new in the brief. I hope a change of course can happen. It seems to me that the Government has been stuck between deciding to drop the Bill, slow-pedal it or water it down, and has decided to do all of the above, to date. It is hard to justify, given the way it has been articulated for so long, how it has taken so long to get to this point.”
“Following on from that, I think communication with any politicians in America or anywhere else must make clear exactly what this legislation does. It is squarely within the footprint of international law. It is targeting the occupied territories and nothing else. I will make a couple of points on the legal side of things. I find this debate rather frustrating. We have been told there is legal uncertainty. It is difficult to understand how it was possible to ensure there was an effective ban on trade in goods and services in response to the situation in Ukraine. The fact that it originated at European level does not make a difference to how it is implemented at a domestic level. If it is initiated domestically, the functional way in which it is implemented is much the same.”
“It cannot be that we freeze here with the ceasefire, insofar as it is a ceasefire, and leave it at that. Clearly, we need to see pressure put on Israel to ensure that the two-state solution is made sustainable.”
“The occupied territories Bill still matters. It has always mattered. It mattered long before the last two and half - almost three - years of slaughter in Gaza. It was all the more important during that period. It is important that every state that wants to stand against a genocide uses whatever leverage it can. It mattered before that and it still matters because my position and that of the Irish Government and many other people is that we want to see a sustainable two-state solution. The Israeli Government is continuing its actions, even now, against the backdrop of a ceasefire. It is difficult to call it a "ceasefire" when hundreds of people have been killed by Israeli forces in the period. We have seen attacks on people by settlers. We have incursions and continued undermining of the two-state solution.”
“Will the Minister outline how the Government intends to advance that particular work and ensure that there is justice and accountability for that crime?”
“Arbitrary deadlines are challenging at the best of times, but arbitrary deadlines when the goalposts keep shifting are even more challenging. It is important that time be taken to properly calibrate realistic proposals. This is about justice, but it is also about sustainability and ensuring a sustainable peace. A peace that is unjust and does not reflect the rights of the people of Ukraine will ultimately fail to be sustainable and will only embolden Russia. The work that the Irish Government and other governments have done in relation to the several thousand abducted children is very important. I hope they will continue that work. It is a profound crime and a crime against humanity. It is hard to imagine the pain and grief this has caused for individual families. It is also an assault against the Ukrainian people.”
“Unfortunately, what has emerged is somewhat confusing in terms of what is being said by Marco Rubio on the one hand and by Steve Witkoff on the other. I think this has made the position of Ukraine difficult. What is the Government's assessment of what is currently being proposed by the US Government?”
“I think it was last week that we had statements on Ukraine. They are now an annual occurrence. Every time they occur, many contributors reflect that they hope the next time such statements happen, there will be a ceasefire. Unfortunately, the war and assault on Ukraine continue unabated. In recent weeks, we have seen some appalling attacks, including on Ternopil, with civilians and civilian infrastructure being targeted. In that context, it is very difficult and almost near-impossible to see that Russia's interest in peace is in any way sincere. For a long time, it has been merely paying lip-service to that. It is unfortunate the confusion that exists in relation to the role of the United States in mediating. If it is taking on a role in mediating peace, it is welcome. Clearly, it has the potential to play a leadership role.”
“First, I want to take the opportunity to wish the Minister, Deputy McEntee, the best of luck in her new role. I look forward to working with her on issues of concern to Ireland and our interests. The question relates to our engagement with the Government of Ukraine and to the ongoing conflict and the efforts made to reach a ceasefire. Unfortunately, some of the discussions in recent weeks and some of the proposals on the table are rather partial and, unfortunately, undermine the position of the Government of Ukraine. That is regrettable, but ultimately we are all hoping for a peace that is sustainable and just. I look forward to hearing the Minister's response to the Irish Government's assessment of the situation.”
“Referencing briefly my first question, we have gone past the time for speaking generally. We need to be more direct. My next question is separate and relates to the area of overseas development. Obviously, a significant crisis is being caused by the huge cut in USAID. Whether anyone can fill the gap is a question. One of the proposals being explored by development organisations is the issue of debt held by Third World countries. I am curious as to whether this is being discussed at an EU level. I know the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, has spoken about it as potentially being an element of the discussion that Ireland will be looking at as part of its Presidency.”
“I welcome all that but the point still remains that Ireland and the EU have no direct influence over the RSF. The United Arab Emirates does. Has Ireland raised directly, or at EU level, the need for the UAE Government to reduce its impact on the area? Who have we influenced in this conflict? It is not the RSF. We have limited influence on the Sudanese Government. Are we raising this directly, either through the EU or independently, with the Emirati Government?”
“Some other Deputies and I referred to the situation in Sudan. While the EU is not a party to that conflict, there are concerns regarding a significant flow of weapons from the United Arab Emirates to Sudan. It has denied that but there are credible reports that suggest this. Some of the commentary in recent days indicates there may be a change in the United Arab Emirates’ position, at least outwardly. Was this discussed, and does the Irish Government have concerns regarding the connections between the UAE and the RSF? Has this been articulated at European level?”
“We have had the embarrassing situation where ships have been put to sea with no functioning main gun because of a lack of specialist staff to deliver that. Our Defence Forces are effectively at rock bottom in terms of morale and seriously struggling in terms of recruitment and retention. I hope the new Minister for foreign affairs and defence takes a proactive role in that without any further delay.”
“It is an absolute disgrace that the Government has left us in this vulnerable position and that events around the EU Presidency could be exposed due to a lack of capability, particularly in relation to tackling drones but also our ability to monitor and police our own waters. The reality that we still do not have a full radar picture is an indictment of successive governments. This argument should not only apply to the EU Presidency. The neglect of our Defence Forces over the years has resulted in our not being able to police our waters and our skies and being seen as a soft touch for major international drug cartels. In Sinn Féin's view, an Irish Government should be strong on neutrality and strong on defence. This Government is strong on neither of those.”
“It is an opportunity to promote Irish interests abroad, to improve our country, to make it a better place in which to live, work and to attract investment. It will also be an opportunity to raise key issues of Irish foreign policy, including the devastating cuts to overseas development aid. However, concerns have been raised in recent days among Irish and European military leaders in relation to Ireland’s ability to resource security operations during the upcoming EU Presidency. This is completely and utterly down to this Government and its predecessors in how they have completely neglected our Defence Forces. They have allowed the Defence Forces to become depleted.”
“That has to mean a viable Palestinian entity and a pathway to self-determination for the Palestinian people. In our view, actions such as enacting the occupied territories Bill remain necessary in terms of consistency with international law and of exerting maximum pressure on Israel to enter into and abide by political peace agreements. Spain and Slovenia have already taken the lead in this regard. The new Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Helen McEntee, needs to be proactive on this and, after years of delay, needs to follow the lead of these two EU member states. In regard to the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from July to December 2026, this is a major opportunity for our country.”
“We are now at a point where the existence of the Palestinian people, in particular the ability to deliver an independent Palestine as part of a two-state solution, is very much at stake. There was much discussion in the Taoiseach's speech in regard to the two-state solution and the formulas of words that exist. However, we have had 20 years of formulas of words, positions, statements and so on, and all the while the West Bank has become nearly like Swiss cheese in terms of the extent to which it has been pock-marked by more settlements, undermining the viability of the West Bank to exist as a political entity. We now have a so-called ceasefire but dozens of people are still being killed. If we want to avoid further conflict and escalation in the future, there needs to be a stable and sustainable political solution.”
“What we have witnessed in Gaza and in the West Bank is utterly horrifying. The widespread nature of severe malnutrition in Gaza and the effective starvation of much of the population, in particular children, has been nothing short of horrific, a living hell for the people of Gaza. It is worth highlighting once again that, unfortunately, at European Union level, we have seen how Ursula von der Leyen's unconditional and unqualified support for Benjamin Netanyahu at a pivotal point provided political cover for the genocidal destruction that followed. These partisan interventions have damaged the credibility of the EU. There is now a need for action. I welcome that more countries are now considering the suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement. That is the minimum the EU should be doing.”
“There is huge concern as to their welfare. People were being cut down in the street and slaughtered in cold blood. This is one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world. More than a year and a half of siege warfare made this one of the most horrific places in the world and among the world's worst humanitarian crises. The flow of weapons continues into Sudan in which the United Arab Emirates is complicit. There are credible reports that the United Arab Emirates is arming the RSF. The European Union has very strong connections and ties with the United Arab Emirates. The EU needs to step up and put pressure on the UAE to stop the flow of weapons into Sudan and to hold it to account for its complicity in this dreadful conflict. On Palestine, we have just had a substantial debate on the Occupied Territories Bill.”
“The scenes we are seeing from Sudan, in particular EI Fasher, are horrifying and appalling. Tens of thousands of people are unaccounted for. We have seen huge numbers of civilian casualties as the RSF forces have gained control of the city and surrounding areas. I have been raising concerns for a number of months in the Dáil with the Tánaiste and the then Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Simon Harris, at the situation in El Fasher and Darfur, the inability to get humanitarian aid into the city and our concerns for the civilian population. This situation has since escalated very significantly and the world can no longer avert its eyes from what is happening in Sudan. Tens of thousands of people have reached safer places. However, tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for in a city of about 100,000 people.”
“I want to take the opportunity to condemn the Russian attack on Ukraine last night. The latest reports are that at least 20 people have been killed, including two children, in a Russian drone and missile attack on the western city of Ternopil that hit two blocks of flats. Another 66 people were injured, 16 of them were children, in one of the deadliest Russian attacks on western Ukraine since the full-scale war began in February 2022. Yesterday evening we had statements on Ukraine, in which I had the opportunity to outline in detail my views and position and those of my party on Ukraine. I will try to cover some other issues today. For the record, I want to reiterate Sinn Féin's solidarity with the people of Ukraine in the face of Russia's brutal invasion of their country and condemn the attacks we have seen in the past 48 hours.”
“If the public policy exemption for goods and services in the instance of Russia can be used, why is it only applicable to goods in relation to Palestine? There is no clear answer to that. It is a political decision. I inform the Minister of State and the new Minister and we will keep the pressure on because the correct political and moral decision is not to look away but to continue to use Ireland's influence in whatever ways we can to stop what is happening in Gaza and to deliver a true and meaningful peace and a political solution.”
“We are not overstating the influence of Ireland. We are not an enormous state but we use what leverage we have. This is one of those pieces. The fact that this legislation was being debated here put the matter on the table at EU level, including in Slovenia and Spain, which are now going ahead of us. I will come back to the legal question. I have never received a clear answer on this. I do not believe there is one. I think this is a political decision. The Government has told us that, because of the International Court of Justice decision, we can now, on the basis of a public policy exemption, institute a ban on goods. The sanctions and bans on goods and services imposed on Russia after the appalling and illegal invasion of Ukraine were undertaken on that same basis.”
“Instead, it seems to have decided to do both. It is both watering it down and not progressing the legislation it has been talking about. It is unacceptable. With regard to the situation on the ground, Médecins sans Frontières provided a briefing in the audiovisual room. A phrase used by a medical professional who had been in Gaza - I am not sure whether he was a doctor or a nurse - has stayed with me. He was not even trying to be poetic or anything like that but he said there is no colour in Gaza and that everything is grey. He was talking about the fact, which has been referred to here, that 80% of the Gaza area is rubble. There is nothing left. The ability of those people to put their lives together again requires the international community to keep the pressure on and not to look away from the situation, and that includes Ireland.”
“Now we are even seeing Israel looking at some sort of erasure of Gaza or a reduction in its size. Statements in the Knesset suggest there may be settlements there in the future. All the while, Israel is undermining the potential future of the Palestinian state. It is worth making the point that we have been talking about this occupied territories Bill. Deputy O'Gorman is right. I also felt there was a clear direction in terms of the occupied territories Bill but we have been talking about it for seven years at this stage. This Bill has been before these Houses for seven years. Elections happen, promises are made and then there is a change of heart. After the election, this Government seemed unable to decide whether it wanted to water down the Bill or to undertake a slow bicycle race in relation to it.”
“It is a fragile moment for the Palestinian people, their ability to have a state of their own and their right to self-determination. A lot of what is happening and a lot of what is being talked about only further highlights the needs for the occupied territories Bill and for pressure to be put on Israel and its allies to respect the rights of the Palestinian people. I refer to their right to life and to decent living conditions in the first instance, but I also refer to their right to an independent state. That is being undermined every day. Yet again, it comes back to the point that there is no accountability for Israel and no consequences for its actions. Every day, we see the Israeli state being more and more directed towards encroachment by means of the establishment of settlements, which is accelerating.”
“Some 250 people have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire. As of 11 November, there have been 282 breaches of the ceasefire. That is some ceasefire. That equates to about 10% of the number of people killed in the entire Irish War of Independence. The number of people being killed in Gaza every day is still enormous. There has been a lot of discussion about this ceasefire, this deal and so on. I certainly welcome any progress towards peace. I welcome the fact that progress is being made in that direction. I welcome the release of hostages. Indeed, I echo the call for the release of the remains of those hostages who have died. Previous speakers, including Ministers, have talked about it being a fragile moment. It is a fragile moment but in a different way from what I believe they meant.”
“We must do whatever we can at the Irish level to use our voice internationally for peace and to show solidarity with Ukraine. We must ensure that if peace comes, it respects the rights of the people of Ukraine and their territorial integrity.”
“Ireland remains a militarily neutral country but that does not mean we are politically neutral. We are clear that this is a war of aggression and that the Russian Federation is the aggressor. It is clear that, at this time, the Russian Federation is paying mere lip service, if even that, to peace negotiations. In my view, it is incumbent on the international community to leverage greater pressure on Russia to come to the negotiating table and deliver a potential peace, but a peace that respects the rights of the people of Ukraine. To conclude, it has been nearly four years since the commencement of the brutal war in Ukraine. When we have had statements to mark the anniversary of the war, we have all hoped not to have to mark another year. Unfortunately, that is the case, and the people of Ukraine have been let down in that regard.”
“The Irish people have supported the Ukrainian people in the wake of this invasion. I reiterate Sinn Féin's solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Táimid soiléir gur sáraíodh an dlí idirnáisiúnta ar an gceist seo. We are clear that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a blatant breach of international law. It is full-scale aggression that has been defined by the potential war crimes committed by the Russian military against innocent people. We call for a co-ordinated and concerted effort by the international community to secure an end to the hostilities and bring about peace. However, that peace needs to be on the basis of a just settlement for the people of Ukraine that respects Ukraine's rights. Ireland must use its voice to the greatest extent possible to achieve and support such an end.”
“It is heartbreaking to hear the reports of parents who have lost their children, who were taken under the pretext of summer camps in the occupied territories and moved deeper into regions of Russia where their parents cannot find them. I am not sure this gets the attention that it ought to in this country. It is a crime that is difficult to comprehend. It simply does not bear thinking about. The Irish people have been clear on whose side they stand. For 45 months, the courageous people of Ukraine have stood against the Russian onslaught and the brutal invasion. We hope peace may be delivered, although when and on what terms we do not know. On that day, there will be a need to support the Ukrainian people in rebuilding their country. Unfortunately, it is clear that Russia is not interested in peace at this moment in time.”
“These actions amount to a systematic and unprecedented genocide, targeting the very future of the Ukrainian people. Russia attacks the very essence of childhood itself to erase Ukrainian identity. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, a landmark move underscoring the moral and legal gravity of these crimes. … Those who have adopted and hidden Ukrainian children under false pretences must also be held accountable. We have heard that the confirmed number is over 20,000 but the real figure could be multiples of this for children who were abducted and forcibly displaced to Russia.”
“It affects the lives of countless Ukrainian families through the reported forcible deportation of children. I pay tribute to the work done by the Ukrainian ambassador in recent years in articulating, with great force, passion and clarity, the situation of Ukrainian people at home and in Ireland. At the foreign affairs committee recently, she outlined the horrific situation of the forcible abduction of children. Thousands of children have been illegally transferred and, in some instances, adopted or conscripted into the Russian military from Ukraine. On that occasion, the ambassador told the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Their identities are falsified, their ties to Ukraine severed and their futures put in jeopardy.”
“Since then, the attacks have only become fiercer and more cynical. Ukraine's energy infrastructure has come under severe attack. There have been numerous large-scale, co-ordinated attacks over the course of this conflict, which has created a serious electricity deficit and difficulties for ordinary people. There is a particular danger in relation to attacks on the nuclear facilities at Zaporizhzhia and Chernobyl. There is no question that what we have seen in locations such as Bucha, Mariupol and elsewhere has been barbarism on the part of the Russian Federation. There have been completely unacceptable and despicable attacks on the Ukrainian people. Russia's war also extends beyond the destruction of civilian and critical infrastructure and murder.”
“I acknowledge the people in Ireland who have done what they can to support the Ukrainian people who arrived here. In spite of this and the situation that is faced by the people of Ukraine, ordinary civilians in Ukraine have persevered, shown immense courage and resilience, continued their everyday lives and kept their country going despite the severe challenges and brutality that they have faced. They are faced with incredible challenges and attacks that greatly impact their ability to do the basic things, such as provide education, healthcare, heating and water distribution, and just get on with day-to-day living. There is no doubt that the Russian Federation and Vladimir Putin himself significantly underestimated Ukraine and the resolve of its people, which has been clearly demonstrated since the war broke out in February 2022.”
“Tá pobal iomlán tar éis dul tríd rudaí uafásacha. Tá go leor daoine tar éis baill teaghlaigh a chailliúint, idir deartháireacha, iníonacha, uncailí, cairde, pé rud é. Is dócha go mbeidh an fhulaingt sin ann fós i ndiaidh deireadh an chogaidh, pé uair a tharlaíonn sé. I am reminded of the horrific scenes we watched on our television screens in February 2022 when this brutal war began. I remember the gut-wrenching feeling as we watched, appalled, as families, women and children, walked through the cold for hours, climbed on and off packed trains and trucks, forced to flee for their lives, uncertain what their future held. The people of Ireland showed great solidarity and their hearts went out to everyone affected. Since then, as we know, millions of Ukrainian people have been forced to leave their homeland.”
“A considerable part of its strategy has been attacking civilian infrastructure, including energy and water, and the obvious impact that has on the quality of life, living conditions and humanitarian situation of the people of Ukraine. Total civilian casualties from January to October 2025 are 27% higher than during the same period last year and the number of casualties for the first ten months of 2025 has already exceeded the total for all of 2024. These are shocking figures. It is extremely concerning and it points to an escalation of the situation of the sheer scale of civilian harm we are seeing in Ukraine. Unfortunately, the situation is only getting worse. We must remember that behind all those figures are real men, women and children whose lives have been shattered, destroyed and turned upside-down.”
“I reference the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, which highlights that civilian casualties in October 2025 remain high, with at least 148 killed and 929 injured, similar to the numbers in September and August. Most deaths and injuries, at about 65%, occurred near the front line. As in the previous month, the vast majority of civilian casualties, 97%, occurred in areas under the control of the government of Ukraine. October saw emergency power cuts across multiple regions of Ukraine, driven by the Russian Federation’s continued region-specific attacks and renewed large-scale strikes on energy and infrastructure.”
“The Russian invasion of Ukraine has resulted in the largest land conflict and greatest displacement of people on the European Continent in 80 years. I reiterate that Russia's attack on and bombardment of the Ukrainian people is an attack on sovereignty, peace and the right of a nation to be sovereign, independent and free. It is a vicious and violent expression of the dead-end belief that might is right and that military power can dominate humanity. I first want to touch on the issue of the huge number of civilian casualties in this conflict, which remains considerably high and perhaps does not get the attention that it ought to.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Geall le ceithre bliana ó shin, rinne Vladimir Putin agus an Rúis ionsaí uafásach ar an Úcráin, agus is é "uafásach" an focal ceart agus cuí le n-úsáid. Ina dhiaidh sin, lean an choimhlint agus cogadh is mó san Eoraip le 80 bliain anuas, agus go leor teifigh ag teacht as sin. Deirim arís gur ionsaí ar chearta agus ar saoirse muintir na hÚcráine, agus ar chearta na hÚcráine mar Stáit agus mar náisiúin, a bhí anseo. Léiriú ab ea é ar an tuairim atá ag Rialtas na Rúise gurb é cumhacht an rud céanna le ceart, agus gur féidir le cumhacht míleata lámh in uachtar a bheith aige ar dhaonnacht. Nearly four years ago, Vladimir Putin's Russia launched a brutal war of aggression against its neighbour, Ukraine. "Brutal" is truly the word to use.”
“We also need to ensure that the specialist staff are there to ensure that ships going to sea are safe. A ship and the personnel required in it is a machine in several respects and each part is necessary. We do not have enough of hardly any of the parts at this point in time, particularly specialist staff.”
“I agree with all that has been said by Deputy Smith. I will also flag the issue of cadets. We spoke about cadets and subsequently officers in the Defence Forces as a whole a short time ago, where serious challenges exist. In the 63rd naval cadet class, six cadets commenced training but only two were commissioned. The remaining four withdrew before commissioning, citing the extended service commitment associated with naval officer training as the primary reason for their departure. The length of these undertakings needs to be reviewed as well as the terms and conditions. We need a mixture in the Naval Service. We need to ensure there is an adequate number of personnel as a whole. We need to ensure that there are enough cadets, from an officer's point of view.”
“This remains the case and has real operational implications and personnel implications. Along with the full radar picture, it is perhaps the most pressing need from a national security point of view to ensure that our naval capacity is brought back to something resembling an acceptable level.”