Peter 'Chap' Cleere
Ceist:1. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [46875/25]
Ceisteanna - Questions
Cabinet Committees
Shane Moynihan
Ceist:2. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [46521/25]
Séamus McGrath
Ceist:3. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [46844/25]
Tony McCormack
Ceist:4. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [46858/25]
Ivana Bacik
Ceist:5. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [50152/25]
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Ceist:6. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [51663/25]
Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:7. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [51668/25]
Ruth Coppinger
Ceist:8. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [52038/25]
Mary Lou McDonald
Ceist:9. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [53181/25]
Paul Murphy
Ceist:10. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [53243/25]
Liam Quaide
Ceist:11. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [55510/25]
Peadar Tóibín
Ceist:12. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [56962/25]
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Ceist:13. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [56982/25]
Barry Heneghan
Ceist:14. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [57152/25]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 14, inclusive, together.
The Cabinet committee on infrastructure last met on Thursday, 17 July and is scheduled to next meet on 3 November. The Cabinet committee works to drive infrastructure delivery and the implementation of the revised national development plan. We are prioritising the delivery of critical, growth-enhancing infrastructure, as outlined in the programme for Government. We have a responsibility to invest in the future and delivery of modern, sustainable and resilient infrastructure is vital for our national competitiveness, fostering regional development, delivering housing and meeting social needs.
The recently published review of the national development plan sets out the largest capital investment in the history of the State to unlock housing, upgrade water and energy infrastructure, deliver more roads and provide better public transport. In budget 2026 we announced €19.1 billion in Exchequer capital investment, an increase of €2 billion on 2025. This represents the highest annual spend to date in this country. Reform of delivery is also key to our approach. The new dedicated infrastructure division in the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation recently published its report outlining the most impactful barriers to infrastructure development, based on extensive consultation. This report has put significant detail behind what we already knew, that delivery of much needed infrastructure is taking too long.
Our regulatory and consent systems have evolved over time to the point where we have a complex landscape, characterised by an increasing number of decisions being referred to the courts for interpretation. All too frequently, this is leading to processes that take too long and an extremely conservative system. Next month, a detailed action plan to begin to tackle these barriers will be published. It will have a focused set of reforms that are practical, time-bound, and impactful. We will be taking action to strike a better balance between the rights of individuals and the public good. We will be simplifying regulation and consenting systems, reducing the administrative burden and cutting the red tape so that our systems are not delaying much-needed investment. The Government has now committed more than €275 billion to investment in infrastructure over the coming decade and the Cabinet committee will oversee the investment and the reforms required to maximise the efficiency with which it is delivered.
I will speak about the construction of two brand-new multi-storey school buildings for the new post-primary schools, Kilkenny City Vocational School and Coláiste Pobail Osraí. These two schools have to be priority projects. Due to increasing numbers, the situation in these schools is unsustainable. They are currently under pressure to provide for existing and future student needs. The next phase of this project will be to release the funding and appoint the contractor. I hope - please God - that in a short time we will be turning the sod, which will make it real for people on the ground.
I acknowledge that €6 billion has been invested in schools nationally in the past five years and I welcome the July announcement of a further €7.5 billion for the Department of Education and Youth under the national development plan. However, this is a new chapter for both these schools We are looking forward to their development and to welcoming students into new buildings in the not-too-distant future.
Thank you, Deputy.
We are counting on the Taoiseach's support to get these projects over the line as quickly as possible.
I welcome the urgency in the Taoiseach's reply on the need for us to build critical infrastructure to secure the growth of the country. As we seek to build more complex public infrastructure, such as public transport systems like the Luas for Lucan or primary care centres, in rapidly growing communities such as, in my constituency, Saggart, Rathcoole and parts of Citywest, it is important we ensure the international expertise we need to attract to the country to build that infrastructure is not put off by the long planing processes we have in place. If we are not attractive to those international companies and expertise, it will have the knock-on effect of increasing the cost of these projects in the future. We have to be aware of that and keep it to the front of our minds.
I also associate myself with the need for school buildings as a central part of infrastructure. I have raised a number of buildings in my constituency where we need to see progress with the Taoiseach and the Minister for education. Some are more than 40 years old and are in no condition for use at the moment.
Thank you, Deputy.
I encourage the Government to prioritise them as a matter of urgency.
I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. He mentioned the importance of investing in the future. Critical to that is investment in our city centres. Will he give an update on the task force for Cork city?
The programme for Government states that the model applied to the Dublin city task force will also be applied to Cork and will happen shortly. I hope this task force will deal with such strategic issues as improved transportation connectivity to Cork city, addressing issues around dereliction, vacancy and under-utilisation of buildings, investment in our public realm or streetscape, making the city a more attractive place to be and, critically from a day-to-day point of view, safety in our city centre and improved visibility of gardaí. I commend Cork City Council and Cork Business Association on their initiative of introducing wardens to the city centre recently. It was welcome. I hope the Taoiseach will give an update on when the Cork city task force will move on.
We have to see delivery of the catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programme on flood protections, even in the short term. In estates like the one I am from, Bay Estate, there are issues with people trying to get flood insurance. Some who have bought houses recently are looking for letters of comfort which people used to get from the local authority, but are no longer available. The letters are to state the area has not been flooded. That issue needs to be dealt with in relation to the local authorities and insurance companies. However, beyond that we need to see delivery of CFRAM. That part of Dundalk is seriously suffering from the fact it does not have the requisite wastewater infrastructure. When we see heavy rains in my estate, we are incredibly worried about what will happen.
I am still waiting for a follow-up meeting with Uisce Éireann. I hope that will happen in the near future. However, we also need to ensure resourcing and finances are made available.
I raise a number of important issues, including school buildings for Coláiste Ríoga in Dunshaughlin and Dunshaughlin Community National School, which have been waiting for a long time, despite having planning permission as far back as 2020. However, I will focus on the creaking wastewater treatment infrastructure. There have been numerous reports by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and others on the need for investment in this infrastructure. It is welcome that there is a commitment to investment. How will projects be prioritised? I am particularly interested in the need for investment in the Kells wastewater treatment plant and in it happening as quickly as possible.
A document was produced by Fingal County Council which identifies land banks, including one in Dublin 15 which could accommodate 20,000 homes.
Today, I received a reply from Fingal County Council. It has 105 families with termination notices or notices of eviction in Dublin 15 alone. I am coming to the Taoiseach as a TD from that area reporting a humanitarian crisis. I want to highlight some of the cases that our councillors are dealing with due to these notices of termination. One person has a child with cerebral palsy. Another person is in homeless accommodation with children who have no space to move and no area to play. Another person is in homeless accommodation and has to cross the M50 every single day. Another person has a child in an autism unit and, as the Taoiseach knows, it is very hard to get an alternative place if they lose their home. Another woman is still breastfeeding after having her newborn. There are many others with disabilities, autism and neurodiversity. When will we address the fact that instead of throwing money at developers, that money could have been given to councils to develop land banks like this, build real affordable homes and social homes, and end this humanitarian disaster?
I want to ask about transport infrastructure, of which buses are the easiest, quickest and cheapest part to deploy. Every day, pretty much, I get emails about the state of the bus services in Ballycullen, Knocklyon and Rathfarnham. The 15 bus service is the busiest route in Dublin and the 15B is also grossly overcrowded. What is happening is that buses routinely fill up in the morning after the first few stops and then leave everyone behind at the later stops. This is a daily occurrence. One constituent says:
I now leave home at 7.15 a.m. to get to work for 9 a.m. My home is exactly 5 miles from the GPO. Who is accountable for privatising the buses? I do not remember getting to vote on it. I'm going to lose my job if this goes on.
A student says:
Something needs to be done quickly. I am increasingly desperate, anxious that I will miss something like an exam or something far more important than just a lecture in the near future.
For years, we have been promised that BusConnects is the answer but the A-spine is now delayed until the autumn of 2026 at the earliest, and it will likely be over capacity as soon as it starts. What is the Government planning to do to fix the bus service?
Our two historic coastal towns in Cork East, Youghal and Cobh, are held back from realising their full potential by the absence of key infrastructural links. For Cobh, it is the lack of a second road access point to the Great Island. For Youghal, it is the failure to restore its rail connection with Midleton and, hence, its isolation from the eventual light rail system in the city. There are real and far-reaching impacts for residents of those towns as a result. They include safety on our congested roads and reduced potential for residential and economic development. In the case of Youghal, the daily quality of life impact of not having rail is grinding and immense. When will the Government show the infrastructural ambition that is needed in east Cork to allow Cobh and Youghal to reach their full, majestic potential?
Storm Babet hit Cork two years ago. It caused damage estimated at about €200 million. It hammered the area, and it is very lucky that nobody was killed. Since then, practically nothing has been done. The area has been promised flood defences for decades but, in the best-case scenario, it is going to take eight years for those flood defences to come into play.
Navan is the largest town in the country without a rail line. More Meath people commute than in any other county and we commute further. Return journey times are about four hours at the moment. The former TD, Noel Dempsey, promised the rail line in 1994 but the best-case scenario is that it will be 2036 before it is built.
The Taoiseach said that the planning process has evolved. The planning process has not evolved. The Government created the planning process. We have the longest planning in Europe. We have the longest licensing and permits system in Europe. We have the longest tendering time in Europe at the moment. It is incredible. The whole system is falling apart. When will the Government reform it to make sure we can build infrastructure properly and on time in this country?
I raised an issue with the Taoiseach three weeks ago regarding the elective hospital in Cork. To be fair, the Taoiseach gave a good response and said it was a political decision that was made on the timing of the hospital, not a HSE decision. As I told the Taoiseach, the hospital was initially meant to take patients in 2027, but it is now looking like 2030 because the project will go from being a one-phase project to a multi-phase project. To be fair, the Taoiseach was quite forceful a number of weeks ago when he gave me his response. However, since that response, nothing has changed. I do not expect things to happen that quickly, to be fair, but the mood music is the same, unfortunately.
I would also reference capital projects in education, whether for ASD classes that were promised last year, extensions to buildings or new-build capital projects. The experience that I am hearing of in the House today is also being experienced by me, particularly in regard to the larger projects.
We talk about delivery here, and the Taoiseach has consistently talked about it since he was elected Taoiseach on the first occasion. Unfortunately, I am just seeing stalling, whether because of bureaucracy in the planning process, cost or issues with implementation. We need to ensure that the delivery is going to happen.
It is no surprise that I am bringing up the issue of private wires again. This is something that is going to reduce energy costs and speed up housing supply. It is a win-win for the Irish people. It will bypass bottlenecks in grid connections. I have recently been contacted by people who have solar farms that are waiting 18 to 24 months for connection. It will help businesses with large roof spaces to allow the loads and reduce their carbon footprints. It will also reduce the grid connection. It will enable large batteries for long-term energy storage to be more easily built out for our grid. With our offshore renewable energy, ORE, development, we are going to have huge curtailment. Electrolysis factories can easily be built for green hydrogen with private wires legislation. I urge that my Bill with the OPLA gets pushed through as fast as possible. It is going to benefit the Irish people.
I thank the Deputies for raising these issues. I appreciate the focus from Deputy Cleere on Kilkenny City Vocational School and Coláite Pobail Osraí. I visited these schools many years ago with the late Bobby Aylward. I think his son was working there. I will certainly keep an eye on those and will talk to the Minister for education in respect of them. It is important. Substantial funding has been made available for education on the capital front. If we look at capital, we keep saying that delivery is not happening, and I did say that myself. At the same time, we are now spending the capital that has been allocated over the past two years. In 2020, 2021 and 2022, not all of the capital was spent and it was moved to other Departments to get spent. I refer to the past two to three years. This year, it is €2 billion-plus. We are at €19 billion, so we would have spent €17 billion last year. Inflation has happened and construction inflation has been higher than normal inflation, which has been a problem. The issue of European directives and European frameworks on the environmental side is proving very problematic in terms of flood relief programmes and so on, and there is no point in saying otherwise. I will pursue those.
Deputy Shane Moynihan reflected the idea that if we do not accelerate, we could lose international experience, which we are certainly seeking in respect of the metro and some of the more complex transport projects, such as light rail and so on. We have seen how that has worked in the past in terms of the Luas and other big developments. There are a lot of roadshows going on in terms of the implementation of the planning Act, the commencement of all regulations there, further legislation in respect of judicial review, which the Minister for justice is going to bring in, and the report coming back from the Minister, Deputy Chambers, in respect of removing the barriers and having a programme for the accelerated delivery of infrastructure projects. I know there are a number of school projects in the Deputy’s constituency that he has highlighted.
Deputy Seamus McGrath highlighted the need for investment in city centres. We significantly improved the living city initiative in the budget, which I advocated very strongly for. A lot will depend on the city council getting the maps back as quickly as possible for designation. With regard to shops, there will not be any timeline in respect of the date of the building, so any shop can convert and avail of the scheme. In terms of housing and other buildings, the year is now 1975 as opposed to 1915, so, hopefully, that will create some activity in the five cities and regional centres like Dundalk, Drogheda and other areas.
I have had meetings with the city council. People do not like the word “taskforce” in Cork - we are kind of fussy - so they are looking for a different title because the city has made progress. They had issues with that but, in any case, we are going to set up a group in terms of the roadmap for progress and a fresh approach to Cork city itself. It is important that we get the terms of reference and the focus right. Some work has been undertaken between UCC, the city council, the Cork Business Association and others in respect of how the city should progress. We want to make sure that in what we establish, we capture that and not duplicate or do something on a different strand or track.
The current development plan, up to 2028, is important. We are talking about a world class city driving local and regional growth and embracing diversity and inclusiveness. We have the large-scale regeneration projects in Cork docklands and Tivoli and the development of a much-enhanced, citywide public transport system. A lot of active travel projects have been delivered in Cork city. which is quite good to see. It is about bringing all of that together. I would be particularly interested in the inner city core - that we create new opportunities there. There is more work to be done for towns around the country in that respect. We need to bring more residential back in. This then creates new opportunities for a different kind of retail and hospitality into the future.
Deputy Ó Murchú referenced flood projection and CFRAM. I could not agree with the Deputy more. All the flood relief schemes are slow-moving, by definition, in terms of consultation with various groups, stakeholders and so forth. It is something I have raised with the Attorney General and others in terms of EU frameworks that govern a lot of this. Adaptation and flood relief are critical to the survival of towns and cities. They are urgent because of the impact of climate change, which is very real.
Our averages are higher.
Where we have implemented flood relief schemes, for example, Bandon, which I would be aware of, Fermoy and Clonmel, the impacts have been very significant in protecting those towns. The public good has to take precedence.
Deputy McGreehan raised the growth in population and the issue around wastewater treatment and so forth. Deputy O'Rourke raised the topic of school buildings, including a number in his area, creaking water infrastructure and the Kells wastewater treatment plant. We will be engaging with Irish Water given the additional it has now received.
Deputy Coppinger mentioned Fingal County Council. She said there are 20,000 homes. That is a matter for the council to get going. There is about €11 billion of public expenditure allocated to housing this year between capital, current and Exchequer funding. That is a lot of funding from the State side. We are not throwing money at developers. We are putting a lot of money into housing. We are putting a lot of money into social housing.
They do not have the money for that, though.
We need the private sector as well, in addition to the huge unprecedented public sector investment.
Deputy Paul Murphy raised public transport and the state of the bus services. A lot of investment has gone into the bus services. BusConnects has been slower because there has been huge consultation with people, residents and communities who had issues with BusConnects - let us be honest - and those were legitimate issues. We will continue to prioritise public services. It is not a privatised bus service. There is a substantial Bus Éireann contribution to public buses. Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann have expanded.
In reply to Deputy Quaide, there is work under way in respect of the alternative route into Cobh. There is the issue of the rail connection to the Youghal greenway. That is being developed but I get the issue. Cork to Midleton was the first railway expansion in its time and it reversed a trend lasting 50 or 60 years. It has been extremely effective. However, we need to continue to work on the economy within Youghal and create opportunities for people living in the town. It is an iconic and attractive area. That is something we have to continue to work on. We are very focused on the need to get that road situation into Cobh sorted. There are economic implications arising from that, in terms of releasing the docklands, the port, marina point and so on.
Deputy Tóibín raised Storm Babet. I dealt with some aspects of that in terms of the flood defence issues. The county council has worked on certain households and businesses and protecting them as interim steps, but, again, that is a complex scheme. It has numerous challenges and Midleton has numerous challenges in terms of potential flooding risks. That is understood. There is a lot of work going on to try to get that scheme going.
Deputy O'Sullivan raised the elective hospital. I put that back on the map at the time. I am going to pursue this. We have the site, and likewise in Galway. There has been a lot of school expansions in Cork as well. We will continue to focus to get more of those done, and more quickly. There are quite a number on the list that we need to get done. Now, with the allocation that has been given to education, we will certainly keep the pressure on to complete the projects. The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, is working particularly on the special education side to get special classes provided and get extensions done to accommodate extra autism classes.
Deputy Heneghen raised private wires. The Minister has got sanction from Cabinet and is progressing with the legislation. This is important because it will help some companies that are waiting for connection and so on.
Ukraine War
Shay Brennan
Ceist:15. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent telephone call with President Zelenskyy. [46841/25]
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Ceist:16. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his participation in meetings of the coalition of the willing in support of Ukraine. [48521/25]
John Lahart
Ceist:17. Deputy John Lahart asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his participation in meetings of the coalition of the willing in support of Ukraine. [48527/25]
Malcolm Byrne
Ceist:18. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Taoiseach to report on his engagement with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. [51122/25]
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Ceist:19. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his participation in meetings of the coalition of the willing in support of Ukraine. [51664/25]
Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:20. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his participation in meetings of the coalition of the willing in support of Ukraine. [51669/25]
Paul Murphy
Ceist:21. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach to report on his engagement with President Zelenskyy. [53244/25]
Liam Quaide
Ceist:22. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his participation in meetings of the coalition of the willing in support of Ukraine. [55511/25]
Shane Moynihan
Ceist:23. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his participation in meetings of the coalition of the willing in support of Ukraine. [56998/25]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 to 23, inclusive, together.
The coalition of the willing is a group of more than 30 countries committed to strengthening support for Ukraine. I have attended leader level meetings of the coalition since it began its work in March. Over the summer, in July and August, US engagement aimed at ending the war in Ukraine led to increased diplomatic activity. A summit was held between Presidents Trump and Putin in Alaska in August. A meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy, together with European leaders, took place subsequently in Washington DC.
The coalition of the willing met on four occasions to discuss the outcomes of these meetings and to consider the next steps, most recently on 4 September. Discussions focused on progressing work on security guarantees for Ukraine that will underpin any ceasefire or peace agreement and provide assurances to Ukraine that it will not face a future invasion by Russia. These security guarantees aim, first and foremost, to support the Ukrainian military as the primary provider of security. They would also include a multinational reassurance force. There may also be a role for a peacekeeping force to monitor any ceasefire or peace agreement.
I have made clear to our partners in the coalition of the willing that Ireland would not join a reassurance force. In line with our long tradition of peacekeeping, however, Ireland is open to considering participation in an appropriately mandated peacekeeping mission. There was also agreement that Ukraine's accession to the European Union would form an important part of a package of comprehensive security guarantees for Ukraine. We have been steadfast in trying to accelerate accession for Ukraine to the European Union.
At the meetings of the coalition and at the informal meeting of the European Council in Copenhagen on 1 October, I underlined Ireland's strong support for Ukraine's European Union ambitions. I urged that the accession negotiations with Ukraine progress as quickly as possible. There was discussion at all meetings on the need to maintain pressure on Russia, including through more sanctions and other economic measures. The coalition of the willing will continue to work to support the achievement of a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. In that context, I hope that the most recent initiatives from US President Trump lead to meaningful progress. I will be attending an online meeting of the coalition later this week.
The meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 23 October, which I will attend, will consider how to step up our support for Ukraine and efforts to achieve a ceasefire and a meaningful and inclusive peace process. I spoke by phone on 1 September with President Zelenskyy. We had a warm and substantial conversation during which I reaffirmed Ireland's strong support for Ukraine and the Government's commitment to a just and lasting peace. I invited President Zelenskyy to visit Ireland. I look forward to welcoming him in the near future. I expressed my solidarity with the Ukrainian people in the face of unrelenting Russian assaults and reiterated Ireland's readiness to continue to support Ukraine. I also restated previous commitments that Ireland will continue to work with partners to support Ukraine's path towards EU membership.
During my travels to New York for United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, high-level week on 23 September, I attended a meeting of the international coalition for the return of Ukrainian children, co-chaired by President Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Carney of Canada. On 24 September, I participated in a meeting of the international Crimea platform, which was also attended by President Zelenskyy. The meeting agreed the New York declaration which recommits to achieving a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, based on the principles of the United Nations Charter, and which respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ukraine applied for EU membership in February 2022 and was granted candidate status not long after that. Since then, significant progress has been made, with the screening progress reportedly completed in September 2025.
Will the Taoiseach provide an update on the current status of Ukraine's accession talks, progress made on any required reforms - if that information is available - and the key milestones that remain? Precisely how is Ireland supporting Ukraine's accelerated integration into the Union, especially in light of ongoing political challenges from some member states? Will the Taoiseach outline Ireland's diplomatic efforts to help build consensus among EU partners for Ukraine's full and timely accession?
I echo the views expressed by the Taoiseach and my colleague Deputy Brennan on the fact that we need to continue to show solidarity with Ukraine and support, in every way possible, the people of Ukraine in their fight on the front line against Russian aggression. Whatever support we can provide while bearing in mind our policy of neutrality, must be provided. On cyber resilience and hybrid warfare, we need to work with our EU partners and Ukraine to combat Russian aggression. I welcome the moves we are making to provide support. The Taoiseach might outline what further supports will be provided during our EU Presidency in respect of Ukraine's accession. In that context, it is critical that we have a fully funded Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, that makes provision for Ukraine, which is a big producer of food, and that the next CAP will take into account an enlarged EU. I welcome the fact that the Taoiseach has invited President Zelenskyy to come to Ireland. I suggest that if he does come as part of the European political community, he might be invited to address a joint sitting of the Houses. I know he has done that previously on screen, but I think he would be accorded a very warm welcome and it would be good to hear from him directly.
We support Ukraine in the context of the absolutely brutal invasion by Russia. We would like to see proper development of a peace process and to do anything we can to facilitate that. We all know that communications from the White House are, at times, not necessarily things we can absolutely stand by. There is talk of a Trump-Putin summit in Budapest. The Taoiseach has had engagement on this, particularly at European level. How does he see this progressing? All efforts need to be made - Russia is the aggressor - in the context of delivering a proper peace process. We have seen the issues even here. There has been increase in the number of younger men coming here. We have to work on the basis that they are men who are not looking to be involved in a war. We really need to create the conditions to bring about peace.
The Taoiseach's former Cabinet colleague and now preferred choice for President, Heather Humphreys, took part in a radio debate about a week ago during which she said that Irish troops should not be stopped from being sent to Ukraine by a Russian veto. Is that the Taoiseach's position? Is he in favour of sending Irish troops to Ukraine without Russian consent? Doing so would mean placing their lives in very serious danger because they would be seen as hostile forces by Russia if they were sent there despite its opposition. It would also presumably mean that there would be no peace agreement. They would not be peacekeeping troops. In other words, they would be part of a NATO- or EU-led military intervention rather than an international peacekeeping force.
To be clear, I am opposed to the Russian invasion. I call for Russia's unconditional withdrawal. I call for the right of ordinary people in Ukraine to decide, but I am against Irish troops----
To decide what?
The right of ordinary people in Ukraine to decide what their future is. I am against sending Irish troops to participate----
What does that mean? Russia is giving them no chance. It is just bombing them.
That is why I am calling for the immediate, unconditional----
That is weasel language.
How is it? I am calling for people----
It is classic, formulaic stuff from you.
I appeal to the Chair to stop the Taoiseach from intervening.
I apologise.
I will restate my basic points. I am opposed to the criminal invasion. I call for the immediate withdrawal of all forces. It is the right of Ukrainian people to decide their future; it is not for Russia to decide. I am against sending Irish troops to participate in a war against Russia in Ukraine. I am asking the Taoiseach whether he agrees with his candidate in the presidential election that this is what we should do.
Did you listen to my reply?
I did. I am asking you a question.
Why do you ignore it?
I am asking you a question.
You distort everything. That is just stock in trade.
Feel free to answer the question.
I was going to ask a question about the presence of Russian assets in Ireland and reparations to Ukraine, but I want to raise the manner in which some questions were put to the Taoiseach during Leaders' Questions about the terrible crime against a child that happened at an IPAS centre in Saggart yesterday. There was a clear conflation made between delayed deportations and risks to children in some of those questions. That is a dangerous narrative to put out.
That is a separate matter. We dealt with it earlier. Come on. We are on Ukraine now.
Deputy, please confine your contribution to the question submitted.
It is about refugees and asylum seekers and our political responsibility towards them.
This is about Ukraine.
There is a very febrile atmosphere out there for refugees and asylum seekers. It is incumbent on us to be very careful with our words in here in order that we do not inflame tensions further. It was remiss of the Taoiseach, as leader of the country, not to take issue with the narrative that was put to him in some of those questions. He was practically ingratiating in response to Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice when the latter made that narrative very clear. That is something the Taoiseach really needs to push back on.
The territorial integrity of any nation state is a sacrosanct principle and should guide any of our interventions in the area of foreign policy. What preparations are being made by the Government in terms of the overall reparations that need to be made to the Ukrainian people at the end of the war? How will the Government support a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine in the future to ensure that whatever war crimes have been committed during this war by the Russian aggressor will be dealt with properly, fairly and in a just way in order to give true justice to the people of Ukraine when the conflict comes to an end?
I thank all the Deputies for raising those various issues. Deputy Brennan raised the key issue of Ukraine's accession process. Ukraine has responded very well to the framework that governs accession. Basically, it involves reform. Ukraine has carried out a lot of reforms, which the Commission has acknowledged to the membership of the EU Council. The Commission has also stated that Ukraine has been extremely positive in terms of meeting the various standards required. One of the big issues we have is that Hungary continues to oppose the formal opening of the first chapter, even though we would argue that the European Council had agreed to the accession process in an earlier vote over a year ago. At the same time, there is a parallel negotiating process in terms of approximating Ukraine to the various standards that would apply to different chapters. It is very regrettable that Hungary has behaved in such a manner. It is really endeavouring to stifle and stop Ukraine from joining.
Key milestones have been reached. There is ongoing interaction with the Commission. We have offered support in terms of providing personnel, namely people from Ireland who would have previous experience of the European Union, to help with Ukraine. We have offered funding on the humanitarian side and so forth. What we can also do - we do this with other accession states - is in terms of training of public servants, utilising the IPA and so on. We are very open to helping the country on progressing the reforms and understanding how the EU works.
We have been strongest in terms of making sure that this matter is on the agenda at every meeting. In the previous Government, I would have been, in or around 2021, one of the minority pushing for accession. From a geopolitical perspective, it is a no-brainer. It has to happen. That has helped the western Balkans, even though the states there were worried Ukraine would go ahead with Moldova. Now it is accepted that enlargement, as an issue, is back firmly on the EU. It had been fairly dormant for ten years, if we are honest. It can be a long process. Hungary is really undermining the process, but we are working with Hungary and with others. My latest encounter with the President of the Council, Antonio Costa, was on Ukraine membership.
Deputy Malcolm Byrne raised very important issues in terms of cyber resilience, hybrid warfare and further supports. Deputy Shane Moynihan raised similar issues in two separate strands.
On hybrid warfare, Russia is becoming far more risk-averse or reckless, is the word I would use, in terms of violating the territorial integrity of member states of the European Union through drone violations, aeroplane violations, hybrid attacks on Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and in terms of the monitoring of subsea cables and of the gas networks between Britain and Ireland. Ireland is under threat from Russia. We should have no doubt about that. We are not immune. We are not some safe haven. It is not the case that every other member state is under pressure but we are not. The drone violations in Denmark were calculated to intimidate before the European political community met and before the informal European Council meeting in Copenhagen. That was what they was about. We should be under no illusions in that regard. As the Prime Minister of Denmark said, the pattern of behaviour is clear.
It is not an accident in the Baltic Sea when an anchor takes a gas connection or a cable with it. These are not accidents any more. The shadow fleet is very dangerous. A lot of those vessels are old but they are dual use. They are also environmental disasters waiting to happen. This is very serious because they are transporting loads of oil to India and other places. These are very real concerns that Deputy Byrne raised. I take his point in terms of the Common Agricultural Policy.
Deputy Shane Moynihan raised the issue of reparations. I link that back to some aspects of what Deputy Byrne was saying as well. As regards the immobilised assets, there is a big debate ongoing at the moment at European level. We have used the windfall from those assets. In other words, the interest accrued has already been used. I am strongly of the view that when a country like Russia invades and destroys another country, it cannot be Europe that has to rebuilt it. There has to be a financial and economic deterrent into the future. The immobilised assets should be used for the rebuilding of Ukraine. The ECB and others have issues with this from a monetary system perspective. Belgium has issues because it is the home country of Euroclear. There are issues, but it is valid to use immobilised assets in this context because of the destruction that has occurred. Countries cannot violate the UN Charter willy-nilly and then expect the good, honest countries and, I will be straight about it, the European Union pony up all of the time. That is an ongoing issue at EU Council level.
Deputy Ó Murchú raised the issue of the summit in Budapest and so on. President Trump, if we are honest, has some unorthodox methods of making peace, but he is focused on peace. He does not like war. He thinks war is irrational and he wants to end wars. I hope that applies in the context of Ukraine and that we can get traction to get the war stopped. However, Russia has shown no interest-----
-----in ending this war.
I regret that I had to interrupt Deputy Murphy, but I just noticed his language. He deliberately ignored what I said earlier, namely that we had made it very clear to the coalition of the willing that we would not be part of a reassurance force. I said that in the House. Then I said that we would be willing to be part of a peacekeeping force if it was to monitor the ceasefire line, for example. Yet, he just ignored that and tried to implicate that we would be conscripting Irish troops to a war in Ukraine. He does distort the situation. He-----
I did not mention conscription.
That is what you are saying.
The Taoiseach is getting ahead of himself.
You said, "send Irish troops to war".
Who is your presidential candidate? The Taoiseach can criticise her, no problem.
No. You know the presidential candidate. I have no doubt that she was talking about a peacekeeping role, but you just choose-----
Then you use language like "I oppose". What about the term "I condemn"?
I condemn.
Grand. Keep going.
I have said it a million times.
Yes, but it is very formulaic. I have noticed it over the years. Look at how many times you guys talk about Russia in the House. You will talk about the United States until the cows come home. You will talk about the European Union until the cows come home-----
When I was in the European Parliament, I spoke about Russia and Putin-----
----- but you do not talk about Iran, about Russia or about all the others.
-----five or six times and Fianna Fáil MEPs did not mention Putin once. I checked the record on that.
Deputy Murphy-----
Again, the Ukrainian people have decided. They decided a long time ago that they want to belong. That is the other bit of language you used. You said that it is up to Ukraine to decide, as if there is an issue. Ukraine has decided on its self-determination. You guys have never been sympathetic to Ukraine, if the truth be told. That is the bottom line. Sinn Féin was with the People Before Profit-Solidarity in 2014 when Crimea was invaded. I read all the stuff, and the Sinn Féin line-----
The Taoiseach is just running down the clock in order that he will not have to answer the question.
-----about Nazis in Ukraine and all the rest of it. You guys had a soft underbelly for the Russians for a long time.
Jesus.
What Deputy Quaide said was unfair on Deputy Fitzmaurice. I thought Deputy Fitzmaurice was reasonable in what he presented. There is a tendency on the Opposition's side to be intolerant. I saw how they all interrupted Deputy Fitzmaurice on Leaders' Questions. He raised legitimate points. He said there should be a debate. I did not get the sense that he was deliberately trying to stir up fear or hatred. I have been very strong on this. I do not need lectures from anybody in this House about supporting diversity and multiculturalism or supporting people irrespective of ethnicity, colour or creed. It is wrong to put that construction on how I responded to Deputy Fitzmaurice or, indeed, on my contributions on the issue yesterday evening. I fully accept Deputy Quaide's point that there is a febrile atmosphere out there. However, I do not think what was said was fair to Deputy Fitzmaurice. That is my view. I ask Deputy Quaide to reflect on that.
A lot of people get brassed off when they think they are being told they cannot talk about something or they cannot raise issues.
It is not a legitimate debate.
That view is out there.
If it is a false narrative that is putting vulnerable people at risk. That is not legitimate debate.
There are a lot of people out there who feel they cannot talk about migration. We cannot just dismiss people's fears and anger. What happened last evening will create fear.
We need to be very careful about how we make that point.
One hundred per cent, but I genuinely do not think Deputy Fitzmaurice misrepresented the matter. We can disagree on it, but I just do not think that was where he was coming from. We need to be careful. Everyone has the right to speak in the House. There is a tendency that if people say certain things on the issue of migration they get shouted down straight away. It is a very complex issue, and it is very difficult. What happened last evening adds to that difficulty and complexity.
Will the Taoiseach comment on the possibility of President Zelenskyy addressing a joint sitting of the Houses?
Apologies. We will go through the programme for President Zelenskyy when he confirms a date. He is anxious to come. He has indicated he wants to come. I think we have a timeline and certainly that address would be on the agenda. Have we run out of time again?
He says hopefully.
Never, Deputy. I always encourage our engagement.