I will focus my questions on the situation in Ukraine, starting with the refugee component. Everyone in the House is aware that almost 2,500 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in this jurisdiction in the last number of weeks. In fairness to the Irish public, their response has been extraordinary. They have opened up their hearts and homes to people fleeing war from the opposite side of the Continent. The main point of entry to this State for Ukrainian refugees is Dublin Airport but the main points of departure from the war zone are the two Polish airports of Rzeszów and Kraków. There is no Irish State presence at those two airports. Would it be worth deploying a small team of diplomats or administrators there to begin the processing in Poland? That would provide an early warning for our people in Dublin Airport so we could have an idea of the numbers coming through. It would be good from an evacuation point of view so it could proceed in good order. We should not be sitting passively in Dublin Airport waiting for refugees to arrive. We should be proactively getting information and passing it on.

Our embassies in Warsaw and Bucharest are under massive pressure at the moment. Has any consideration been given to redeploying some people in the Department of Foreign Affairs, either from Iveagh House or from other embassies, to those two embassies that are under significant pressure? Any thoughts the Minister might have on that would be much appreciated.

On the defence component, the Commission on the Defence Forces reported in January after 14 months of forensic analysis. We have been told since then that the Government will now require an additional four to five months to analyse the analysis. This brings another dimension to the phrase "the paralysis of analysis". Other EU countries have made decisions on the resourcing of their military in hours or days, because they recognise the severity and gravity of the threat. Can that four- to five-month timescale be shortened to four to five weeks? We all understand that under normal circumstances you should measure twice and cut once, like any good tradesperson, but these are not normal times.

For the first 90 years of this State's existence, we had a stand-alone, dedicated Minister for Defence but for the last ten years the job has been paired up with another portfolio. It is fortuitous that the Minister for Defence, Deputy Coveney, is sitting next to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, at the moment. He is holding down two portfolios. We are now entering a period of considerable conflict in the Continent of Europe and we do not know where that trajectory is going to take us. Has any consideration been given to once again establishing a dedicated, stand-alone Minister for Defence at the Cabinet table? I appreciate that there is a constitutional ceiling of 15 senior Ministers but perhaps a "super junior" Minister could be considered. I do not think the public would have a difficulty with that for the duration of this crisis.

I agree with the Deputy that we have a proud record in difficult situations and conflict situations. Rather than adding to the conflict, we try to create peace in such conflict situations. There are examples of us sending diplomats and the likes of our Army Ranger Wing, which went to Kabul Airport last year and helped to get Irish citizens home, in conjunction with other countries. The Department of Foreign Affairs is working very closely with the Polish Government, which is co-ordinating the response in this regard. We are ready, waiting and willing to provide whatever help we can in that tradition of peacekeeping. Our diplomats and military will be on hand and available at a moment's notice to provide whatever logistical support they can. However, it has to be co-ordinated and led by the Polish authorities because they are on the front line managing it. Subject to their request, the Department and the Minister will provide the necessary response. This is something the Government discussed at the Cabinet subcommittee the other day and we would be very open to it, but it has to be led by those on the front line.

The Minister for Defence and I have had lengthy discussions on the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. We have to deliver on it. We have to deliver additional resources to our Defence Forces. The report is well written and makes a strong case about our lack of resources in critical areas, such as maritime, air cover and support for the likes of the Army Rangers and other Irish soldiers on missions abroad. We need to provide additional resources and strengthen our military in its ability to carry out the critical work it does. However, we have to be careful. We will do it in June according to the timeline we have set. It is important we get this right. It is a highly complex issue. I am in regular contact with my colleagues in countries across the Union, particularly Green Party colleagues. It has been fascinating to discuss with my Finnish colleagues the situation in that country, or the dramatic changes in Germany with my German colleagues. As the Deputy noted, it completely turned around in a day. Denmark is facing a referendum on this matter in June. I am not so sure. Sometimes the lesson in these issues and these debates is not to rush it. There are certain things we need to rush, such as the humanitarian help and the provision of support in Polish airports as needed. We have to be quick there but with regard to the big strategic and long-term response, I think June is an appropriate time for us to assess and implement the recommendations of the commission's report.

With regard to the role of the Minister, I do not believe the creation of a separate Ministry would necessarily make a difference. There may well be a strength, and I think there is, in having the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Defence integrated under a single senior Minister. There is real merit to that in some ways as it provides status and seniority. I do not believe the creation of a separate Ministry would necessarily help with what we need to do on the commission report.

I thank the Minister for outlining the Government's position. I am glad Deputy Gannon mentioned the appalling atrocity in Mariupol yesterday, namely, the bombing of the maternity and children's hospital. I was recently contacted by the HSE, which pointed out that there is some small spare capacity in our neonatal ICUs in Ireland. There is a national neonatal transport programme available whereby hospitals in Dublin link up with the Air Corps to transfer very critically ill children from abroad. Ireland has the capacity to add a particular niche value in the evacuation and movement of people and refugees out of Ukraine. Perhaps the Minister might discuss with his Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Health, whether that could be brought into play. It would certainly make a huge difference to very sick or critically ill children in Ukraine and their parents.

The situation in Mariupol is atrocious but the difficulty is that it is impossible for citizens to get out of the city. Despite supposed arrangements to provide safe access routes out, that has not happened so that is not possible. Our embassy officials in Bucharest were hugely influential in getting a certain number of babies out recently in difficult circumstances. I will go back to the Deputy’s original question and I mention our engagement with the Polish, Romanian, Moldovan and other governments. We should be willing and able to provide support and assistance but it has to be done as part of a co-ordinated European Commission response. I understand that the European Commission is co-ordinating how such health supports would be provided and that is the best way for us to play our part.