20 Feb 2014, 11:25
The Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade Pat Breen TD has this morning condemned the ongoing violence in the Ukraine and said that dialogue must be urgently pursued by all parties to ensure that the serious crisis there can be alleviated.
Chairman of the Committee Pat Breen TD says: “On behalf of the Joint Committee, I wish to condemn in the strongest possible terms the deadly violence that has escalated in the Ukraine in recent days. The Committee has been following developments since protests began in Kiev with deep unease and is particularly concerned at the violence of the past number of days which has claimed at least 40 lives. It is most regrettable that the truce agreed last night does not appear to be holding firm. Recognising that comprehensive dialogue is the only way forward, the Committee is calling on both sides of the conflict to engage on finding a pathway towards a peaceful solution to the crisis, with the utmost urgency in a meaningful way.
\"On behalf of the Joint Committee, I spoke with the Ukrainian Ambassador to Ireland Sergii Reva earlier this morning on these concerns. I related to him the Committee's view that dialogue is the only way forward on these matters. Next week, I will further discuss these concerns at a face to face meeting with Ambassador Reva.\"
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Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade
Deputies:
Pat Breen, Fine Gael (Chairman)
Eric Byrne, Labour
Bernard Durkan, Fine Gael (Vice-Chairman)
Seán Crowe, Sinn Féin
Olivia Mitchell, Fine Gael
Gerald Nash, Labour
Dan Neville, Fine Gael
Brendan Smith, Fianna Fáil
Maureen O’Sullivan, Independent
Senators:
Deirdre Clune, Fine Gael
Mark Daly, Fianna Fáil
Lorraine Higgins, Labour
Michael Mullins, Fine Gael
David Norris, Independent
Jim Walsh, Fianna Fáil