International Developments: Statements Dail Éireann — 2026-01-21 ============================================================ Thomas Byrne (FF), Meath East I regret the term “traitors” being used in relation to MEPs who take their own democratic decision and who have taken into account their constituents and broad interests. There are two sides to this story. The Government did oppose Mercosur at the Council of the European Union, but it is also the case that the Government has acknowledged that certain sectors would benefit from it. MEPs are entitled to vote and make their own decision without pressure from us or the Opposition. Today's debate comes at a time when our foreign policy faces grave challenges and peace and security are being threatened. Ireland is committed to the international rule of law. The UN is at the heart of the maintenance of international peace and security. We have a strong commitment to multilateralism. We exercise multilateralism every day of the week. We heard from the Opposition the importance of multilateralism. We work those systems to everybody’s benefit. Our EU membership is central to how we ensure Ireland's place in the world and how we amplify our voice and support our values and the interests of our citizens. I will join the Taoiseach in Brussels tomorrow as he meets his fellow leaders for an emergency meeting of the European Council. We will work closely with our European partners. The situation in Greenland is of great concern to Ireland and to EU partners and to Members all around this House. Last week I spoke to the Danish Minister for European Affairs, Marie Bjerre, and I assured her that Ireland stands fully behind Denmark on this issue. The EU and its member states have been clear that the future of Greenland is a matter for the Danish people and the Greenlandic people, together with their governments. We have made this clear publicly and privately and these statements have been welcomed by Denmark. The European Union is united in its view that the fundamental principles of international law, territorial sovereignty and integrity must be observed. This is a position that will not change. Sovereignty is not a commodity to be bought and sold. Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states is non-negotiable. This is a fundamental principle of the UN Charter and of international law. It is what keeps all countries, large or small, militarily aligned or neutral, safe and secure. I was intrigued to hear a Sinn Féin Member talk about the protocol to the Lisbon treaty and making all sorts of suggestions about it. If they actually take the time to read the protocol, it directly refutes many of the allegations that Sinn Féin make here week in and week out about a European army and conscription. It specifically states that those things are not happening, so Sinn Féin would do well to read the protocol to the Lisbon treaty rather than just mention it and misdescribe it. The US announcement at the weekend regarding the potential imposition of tariffs on a number of member states and other European partners undermines transatlantic relations. It is incompatible with the trade agreement we signed last summer. This gave certainty for businesses and investments. We need to find a way forward on these issues and this is our priority. When we go to Brussels tomorrow the Taoiseach will emphasise and prioritise the protection of Irish jobs, Irish households and Irish interests. We will work with our European colleagues to meet these challenges and to consider the next steps. Dialogue is still key, and we will continue to engage with the US to convey our clear position on this issue. We must ensure, of course, that Russia's brutal and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine remains at the forefront of our efforts. Ireland's consistent position has been that it is for the government and the people of Ukraine to determine their future and to agree the terms of any peace agreement. It is crucial that any agreement upholds Ukraine's sovereignty and independence, based on respect for the principles of the UN Charter. A just and lasting peace in this conflict is the end objective. It is evident, however, that Russia continues to actively engage in escalatory tactics. Putin's drones and missiles continue to attack innocent civilians and critical energy infrastructure. The attacks have left millions without electricity during harsh winter months that are without comparison to Ireland. We cannot imagine the coldness of people's apartments and houses in many parts of Ukraine at the moment. Ukraine has been forced to declare a state of emergency in the energy sector. I am very conscious as well of the small Irish community in Ukraine and our ambassador in Ukraine, Jonathan Conlon. He and his embassy team continue to carry out exemplary work in the face of unbelievable challenges. We remain committed to supporting Ukraine. Since the start of the war nearly four years ago, we have contributed extensive political, humanitarian, military and economic support to Ukraine. Ukraine must be supported to defend itself against this continued aggression to deter future aggression. Ireland has provided €138 million in humanitarian assistance and stabilisation supports and, in 2025, we announced a further funding package of €35.4 million in September and €25 million for restoring energy infrastructure in December. I saw an example of the funding last year when I visited an underground school shelter in Odessa, co-funded by Ireland and Lithuania. We also allocated €200 million in non-lethal military support to Ukraine. We have welcomed over 120,000 Ukrainians under the temporary protection directive. Looking ahead to our Presidency of the EU, we support Ukraine's EU accession, which we believe to be a crucial element in securing Ukraine's long-term peace and security and the long-term peace and security of the Union. Now is a time for cool heads. We can achieve a lot more through co-operation rather than conflict, and Ireland will continue to work in that manner around the European table and in our engagements around the world. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-21/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-31T01:00:51+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-01-21