If copies of my speech are not already in the Chamber, they will be shortly. For today's debate, we first need to clarify what we mean when we talk about Ireland's long-standing policy of military neutrality. In practical terms, and as practised by successive Governments for many decades, the policy means that Ireland does not participate in military alliances, nor in common or mutual defence arrangements. As the Taoiseach has said on a number of occasions in recent weeks, military neutrality does not mean we are p…

The flights in question must not form any part of military exercises or operations.

These conditions are applied to all international partners and are not specific to individual states. They will continue to be applied. Moreover, as Deputies will be aware, there are already provisions in the Constitution that underpin Ireland's foreign and security policy framework. In particular, Article 29 establishes the framework within which Ireland conducts its international relations. For example, Article 29.1 states, "Ireland affirms its devotion to the ideal of peace and friendly co-operation amongst nati…

The Deputy really insults our own Defence Forces and their work in Mali with comments like that.

Deputy Barry is a disgrace. He should educate himself on what we are doing in Mali.

We have Defence Forces personnel laying their lives on the line and we have to listen to this kind of stuff.

What about today?

That is not what I said.

I assure the House that the Government is doing everything it can to try to make appropriate diplomatic interventions. There are far more Members on the other side of the House talking about neutrality than there are on this side. Every day, my Department and I look at how we can use international organisations and multilateralism to try to make interventions for peace. I will not have the argument skewed in a different direction. Nobody in this House is warmongering or looking to militarise the European Union but …

I was not here.

I thank Deputies Pringle, Doherty and Mac Lochlainn for raising this important issue. I have been carefully monitoring the progress of the UK's draft Nationality and Borders Bill as it moved through the legislative process in Westminster. We have several concerns regarding the proposed electronic travel authorisation scheme set out in the Bill in the context of cross-Border travel on the island of Ireland in the context of the issues raised by all three Deputies. I discussed those concerns in detail with the Secret…

There is not but I will try to ensure it can be sent around.

Yes. I am not sure there is somebody in the office to do it now. If there is not, I will ensure a copy can be emailed to everybody who wants it.

I do not disagree with the points being made and this is completely inconsistent with the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement. As part of a peace process, we have created a position where a seamless Border allows goods, services and people to move across that Border. It was clearly assisted by joint EU membership but also the aspirations around North-South co-operation. These were all about trying to ensure we had an all-island economy that could function and allow people to move around to work and study, as well a…

Before I answer that question, I wish to take a few moments to recognise the service of Mr. Jim Kelly, who has just been mentioned by the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. Jim was a massively important member of the Department of Foreign Affairs team. He was an ambassador and was central to our team in the UN Security Council since we joined that council. He passed away very unexpectedly last weekend. On behalf of the Government and of this House, I wish to recognise an extraordinary career of service to Irish foreign pol…

I appreciate that flexibility, a Chathaoirligh. On the important question asked by Deputy Brady, since the illegal, unprovoked and unjustified further invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces on 24 February, Ireland has stood in unwavering solidarity with the people and Government of Ukraine. Ireland’s response to the invasion has included engagement with EU partners and at the UN, development of sanctions against Russia; bilateral contact with the representatives of Ukraine and of Russia in Ireland and the provision …

I thank the Deputy for his questions and for his support of the approach the Government has taken so far. With regard to Ireland being categorised as an unfriendly country, all of the EU has been categorised as being unfriendly towards Russia. That is a term it has used previously, and then it takes action on the back of that. Any actions of the back of that statement a number of weeks ago have not happened yet, but we can expect it will act at some point in time. For example, last year when there was tension betwe…

I travelled to Poland last week to meet my counterparts there and to meet refugees. I visited the largest Ukrainian refugee hub in Poland where there were approximately 7,000 people, predominantly women and children and quite a number of elderly people. The scale of human misery and the responsibility for the EU collectively to respond to it are enormous. As the Deputy knows, Ireland will play its part in this. There are many routes to get to Ireland. Geographically we are quite far away from Ukraine by European st…

We will come back to Ukraine again and I will answer the question then.

I thank the Deputy. He was an incredibly popular person in the Department. Addressing the difficult situation of undocumented Irish emigrants in the United States and working to secure legal pathways for Irish people seeking to live and work in the US continues to be a key priority for the Government, as it has been for many years. The need to address the challenge of establishing migration pathways, especially for the undocumented Irish, is of critical importance and has been raised by senior members of the Govern…