Paul Murphy Demands Open Support for Ukrainian Refugees, Calls Antiwar
Paul Murphy expressed solidarity with the people of Ukraine and urged the Tanaiste to guarantee that no limit will be placed on the number of refugees Ireland accepts. He argued that NATO escalation would worsen the conflict and called for a global anti-war movement demanding withdrawals of foreign forces.
Refugee demand
Paul Murphy asked the Tanaiste to give a guarantee that no limit will be placed on the number of refugees fleeing Ukraine who will be accepted into Ireland and urged Ireland to be open to people fleeing the invasion.
Call for a global anti-war movement
He called for the building of a global anti-war movement independent from and in opposition to both imperialist camps, to demand the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and the withdrawal of NATO battle groups and missiles from Eastern Europe. He also urged people to join an Irish anti-war protest at 5.30 in front of the Dáil.
Response from the Tanaiste
The Tanaiste replied that Ireland will accept refugees from Ukraine but that action will need to be taken on a European basis as part of a European agreement. The Tanaiste noted Ireland had been one of the leading EU countries in accepting refugees from Afghanistan, mentioned a significant Ukrainian community in Ireland, and said the country would be willing to step forward while insisting on European-wide arrangements.
Dispute over responsibility for the invasion
The Tanaiste strongly rejected suggestions of NATO escalation, describing the events as Russian aggression. He referenced 2014 when Russia seized Crimea and Sevastopol and pointed to similar incidents in the Donbas, Moldova (Transnistria) and Georgia, arguing there is no equivalence between NATO and Russian actions.
Potential implications
The exchange highlights competing narratives in the debate: a call for unfettered refuge and an international anti-war stance from Paul Murphy, set against the Tanaiste's emphasis on coordinated European refugee arrangements and characterisation of the conflict as Russian aggression rather than NATO provocation.
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I want to express People Before Profit solidarity with the people of Ukraine. They are facing a horrifying imperialist invasion and I would ask the Tanaiste to give a guarantee that no limit will be placed on the number of refugees fleeing Ukraine who will be accepted into Ireland. I would also ask the Tanaiste whether he agrees that any NATO escalation will simply make the situation worse threatening dissent into a deeper and bloodier conflict. What we need now is to build a global anti-war movement independent from and in opposition to both imperialist camps to demand the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and the withdrawal of NATO battle groups and missiles from Eastern Europe. I would call on people to join the Irish anti-war movement protest today at 5.30 in front of the Dáil. Thank you. Tanaiste. Thanks Deputy. Certainly when it comes to refugees Ireland will accept refugees from Ukraine. Whatever we do is going to have to be done on a European basis as part of a European agreement. I think it is fair to say that we were one of the leading countries in the European Union when it came to accepting refugees from Afghanistan. This is a European country. It is much nearer. There is a significant Ukrainian community in Ireland already. We would be willing to accept people but that will have to be agreed on a European-wide basis. But we would be happy to step forward in that regard as a country. I really just have to entirely disagree with you in relation to any suggestion or allegation of a NATO escalation. Like this isn't what happened here. In 2014 when Ukraine pressed forward for democracy, when Ukraine decided that it wanted to be on a European course. It is an independent country. They have the right to decide to join the European Union or NATO if they want to. That is not our business. It is their decision. That happened in 2014. Russia and Putin seized Crimea and seized Sevastopol. It is now happening again in the Donbas. This is what happened in Moldova in relation to Transnister. This is what happened in Georgia as well. This is not an issue of NATO aggression. This is Russian aggression. It happened in Moldova. It happened in Georgia. It is happening in Ukraine now. Let us not pretend that there is any equivalence. Thank you. I ask a question onй. The situation is responding and being mindful of theetzung of the touchdowns is at www.moldova.gov.
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