I must now deal with a postponed division relating to the motion regarding the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On Wednesday, 22 February 2023, on the question, "That the amendment to the motion be agreed to", a division was claimed and in accordance with Standing Order 80(2), that division must be taken now.
Anniversary of Russian Invasion of Ukraine: Motion (Resumed)
The following motion was moved by the Taoiseach on Wednesday, 22 February 2023:
That Dáil Éireann:
— strongly condemns without reservation the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation which commenced on 24th February, 2022;
— expresses its unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders;
— firmly believes that the actions of the Russian government in invading the territory of a sovereign independent state are conducted with flagrant disregard for international law;
— condemns indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure;
— further condemns human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law; and
— welcomes the decision of the European Council on 23rd June, 2022, to grant candidate status for European Union (EU) membership to Ukraine;
calls for:
— the immediate withdrawal of all forces of the Russian Federation from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders;
— the protection of civilians, including humanitarian personnel, journalists and persons in vulnerable situations, including women and children, as well as civilian infrastructure; and
— accountability for breaches of international law, including those that may constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, or the crime of aggression, to ensure that there shall be no impunity for such crimes; and
concludes that:
— the ongoing unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine is a violation of the principles of international law, and has resulted in untold suffering for the people of Ukraine, as well as having impacts globally in terms of food and energy security; and
— it is incumbent on Ireland to continue to speak out against Russian aggression and to work within international bodies, including the United Nations and the EU, to hold Russia accountable and to uphold the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.
Debate resumed on amendment No. 1:
A.
To insert the following after "status for European Union (EU) membership to Ukraine;":
"— condemns threats of use of nuclear weapons, and condemns all nuclear threats, whether they be explicit or implicit and irrespective of the circumstances;
— welcomes the solidarity shown by all EU Member States in hosting Ukrainian people fleeing from conflict under the EU Temporary Protection Directive;
— thanks the Irish people for the support and kindness they have shown to the Ukrainian people who have come to Ireland over the past year;
— recognises the suffering that this war is causing to ordinary citizens right all across the world;
— reaffirms Ireland’s longstanding and internationally respected constitutional neutrality noting Article 29 of Bunreacht na hÉireann’s commitment to the ideal of peace and the peaceful settlement of international disputes;"
B.
To insert the following after "impunity for such crimes; and":
"— full respect by countries involved in conflict for the recognition of the fundamental right of citizens; to freedom of speech; to join political parties; to trade union membership; to free association including involvement in pacifist movements; to the freedom of the press and observation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and;
— calls for the UN to immediately engage with all parties in pursuit of an immediate ceasefire to end the ongoing slaughter of innocent people and negotiate a settlement in line with international law, and; "
C.
To insert the following after "sovereignty and territorial integrity of states":
"— it is incumbent on Ireland, as a neutral state to be ready to play an active part in pursuit of a peaceful solution to the conflict and support an end to hostilities.".
- (Deputy Thomas Pringle)
Amendment put:
The Dáil divided: Tá, 17; Níl, 83; Staon, 31.
Tá
- Barry, Mick.
- Berry, Cathal.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Cairns, Holly.
- Canney, Seán.
- Collins, Joan.
- Fitzmaurice, Michael.
- Fitzpatrick, Peter.
- Gannon, Gary.
- Kenny, Gino.
- McNamara, Michael.
- Murphy, Catherine.
- O'Callaghan, Cian.
- Pringle, Thomas.
- Shortall, Róisín.
- Smith, Bríd.
- Whitmore, Jennifer.
Níl
- Bacik, Ivana.
- Brophy, Colm.
- Browne, James.
- Bruton, Richard.
- Burke, Colm.
- Butler, Mary.
- Byrne, Thomas.
- Cahill, Jackie.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Cannon, Ciarán.
- Carey, Joe.
- Carroll MacNeill, Jennifer.
- Chambers, Jack.
- Collins, Michael.
- Collins, Niall.
- Costello, Patrick.
- Coveney, Simon.
- Cowen, Barry.
- Crowe, Cathal.
- Devlin, Cormac.
- Dillon, Alan.
- Donnelly, Stephen.
- Donohoe, Paschal.
- Duffy, Francis Noel.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- English, Damien.
- Farrell, Alan.
- Feighan, Frankie.
- Flaherty, Joe.
- Flanagan, Charles.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Foley, Norma.
- Harris, Simon.
- Haughey, Seán.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Higgins, Emer.
- Hourigan, Neasa.
- Howlin, Brendan.
- Humphreys, Heather.
- Kehoe, Paul.
- Kelly, Alan.
- Lahart, John.
- Lawless, James.
- Leddin, Brian.
- Madigan, Josepha.
- Martin, Catherine.
- Martin, Micheál.
- Matthews, Steven.
- McAuliffe, Paul.
- McConalogue, Charlie.
- McGrath, Michael.
- McHugh, Joe.
- Moynihan, Aindrias.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Nash, Ged.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Nolan, Carol.
- Noonan, Malcolm.
- O'Brien, Darragh.
- O'Brien, Joe.
- O'Callaghan, Jim.
- O'Connor, James.
- O'Dea, Willie.
- O'Donnell, Kieran.
- O'Donoghue, Richard.
- O'Donovan, Patrick.
- O'Dowd, Fergus.
- O'Gorman, Roderic.
- O'Sullivan, Christopher.
- O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
- Ó Cathasaigh, Marc.
- Ó Cuív, Éamon.
- Phelan, John Paul.
- Richmond, Neale.
- Ring, Michael.
- Ryan, Eamon.
- Sherlock, Sean.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Smith, Duncan.
- Smyth, Niamh.
- Smyth, Ossian.
- Stanton, David.
- Troy, Robert.
Staon
- Andrews, Chris.
- Brady, John.
- Browne, Martin.
- Buckley, Pat.
- Carthy, Matt.
- Clarke, Sorca.
- Conway-Walsh, Rose.
- Cronin, Réada.
- Crowe, Seán.
- Cullinane, David.
- Daly, Pa.
- Doherty, Pearse.
- Donnelly, Paul.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Farrell, Mairéad.
- Funchion, Kathleen.
- Gould, Thomas.
- Guirke, Johnny.
- Kerrane, Claire.
- Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
- Mitchell, Denise.
- Munster, Imelda.
- O'Reilly, Louise.
- O'Rourke, Darren.
- Ó Murchú, Ruairí.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- Quinlivan, Maurice.
- Ryan, Patricia.
- Stanley, Brian.
- Tully, Pauline.
- Ward, Mark.
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Thomas Pringle and Joan Collins; Níl, Deputies Hildegarde Naughton and Cormac Devlin.
Amendment declared lost.
I must now deal with amendment No. 2 in the name of Solidarity-People Before Profit.
I move amendment No. 2:
To insert the following after "sovereignty and territorial integrity of states":
"— condemns North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) activity in escalating the war and using it to increase militarisation;
— re-asserts its support for Irish neutrality and declares that Dáil Éireann will not be making any application to join NATO now or in the future;".
Amendment put:
The Dáil divided: Tá, 7; Níl, 93; Staon, 31.
Tá
- Barry, Mick.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Collins, Joan.
- Kenny, Gino.
- McNamara, Michael.
- Pringle, Thomas.
- Smith, Bríd.
Níl
- Bacik, Ivana.
- Berry, Cathal.
- Brophy, Colm.
- Browne, James.
- Bruton, Richard.
- Burke, Colm.
- Butler, Mary.
- Byrne, Thomas.
- Cahill, Jackie.
- Cairns, Holly.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Canney, Seán.
- Cannon, Ciarán.
- Carey, Joe.
- Carroll MacNeill, Jennifer.
- Chambers, Jack.
- Collins, Michael.
- Collins, Niall.
- Costello, Patrick.
- Coveney, Simon.
- Cowen, Barry.
- Crowe, Cathal.
- Devlin, Cormac.
- Dillon, Alan.
- Donnelly, Stephen.
- Donohoe, Paschal.
- Duffy, Francis Noel.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- English, Damien.
- Farrell, Alan.
- Feighan, Frankie.
- Fitzmaurice, Michael.
- Fitzpatrick, Peter.
- Flaherty, Joe.
- Flanagan, Charles.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Foley, Norma.
- Gannon, Gary.
- Harris, Simon.
- Haughey, Seán.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Higgins, Emer.
- Hourigan, Neasa.
- Howlin, Brendan.
- Humphreys, Heather.
- Kehoe, Paul.
- Kelly, Alan.
- Lahart, John.
- Lawless, James.
- Leddin, Brian.
- Madigan, Josepha.
- Martin, Catherine.
- Martin, Micheál.
- Matthews, Steven.
- McAuliffe, Paul.
- McConalogue, Charlie.
- McGrath, Michael.
- McHugh, Joe.
- Moynihan, Aindrias.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Murphy, Catherine.
- Nash, Ged.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Nolan, Carol.
- Noonan, Malcolm.
- O'Brien, Darragh.
- O'Brien, Joe.
- O'Callaghan, Cian.
- O'Callaghan, Jim.
- O'Connor, James.
- O'Dea, Willie.
- O'Donnell, Kieran.
- O'Donoghue, Richard.
- O'Donovan, Patrick.
- O'Dowd, Fergus.
- O'Gorman, Roderic.
- O'Sullivan, Christopher.
- O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
- Ó Cathasaigh, Marc.
- Ó Cuív, Éamon.
- Phelan, John Paul.
- Richmond, Neale.
- Ring, Michael.
- Ryan, Eamon.
- Sherlock, Sean.
- Shortall, Róisín.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Smith, Duncan.
- Smyth, Niamh.
- Smyth, Ossian.
- Stanton, David.
- Troy, Robert.
- Whitmore, Jennifer.
Staon
- Andrews, Chris.
- Brady, John.
- Browne, Martin.
- Buckley, Pat.
- Carthy, Matt.
- Clarke, Sorca.
- Conway-Walsh, Rose.
- Cronin, Réada.
- Crowe, Seán.
- Cullinane, David.
- Daly, Pa.
- Doherty, Pearse.
- Donnelly, Paul.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Farrell, Mairéad.
- Funchion, Kathleen.
- Gould, Thomas.
- Guirke, Johnny.
- Kerrane, Claire.
- Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
- Mitchell, Denise.
- Munster, Imelda.
- O'Reilly, Louise.
- O'Rourke, Darren.
- Ó Murchú, Ruairí.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- Quinlivan, Maurice.
- Ryan, Patricia.
- Stanley, Brian.
- Tully, Pauline.
- Ward, Mark.
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Richard Boyd Barrett and Bríd Smith; Níl, Deputies Hildegarde Naughton and Cormac Devlin.
Amendment declared lost.
Amendment No. 3 is in the name of Deputy McNamara. How stands the amendment?
I move amendment No. 3:
To insert the following after "sovereignty and territorial integrity of states":
"approves the participation of up to 30 members of the Defence Forces in the newly established European Union Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM), under the command of its Director of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability, Vice Admiral Hervé Bléjea, the aim of which is to enhance the military capability of Ukraine’s Armed Forces and that the State shall be bound by Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/509 establishing a European Peace Facility, and any cost arising therefrom or from the European Union Military Assistance Mission, and the Taoiseach shall report on the said cost to the Exchequer no later than one year from today and every year thereafter".
It affords the Dáil the chance and the opportunity to assent to Irish participation in the European Union military assistance mission and so I will press it.
Amendment put.
The Dáil divided by electronic means.
Deputy McNamara likes presenting interesting scenarios to the House. The result of the division is Tá, 0; Níl 100; and Staon 32. As Deputy McNamara, as a Tá teller, has not voted in favour, I must declare the amendment lost.
Amendment declared lost.
Motion agreed to.
Cuireadh an Dáil ar athló ar 11.36 p.m. go dtí 9 a.m., Déardaoin, 23 Feabhra 2023.
The Dáil adjourned at 11.36 p.m. until 9 a.m. on Thursday, 23 February 2023.