Irish components in Russian weapons
Deputy Bacik raised reports that Irish-made components from two companies may be reaching Russian weapons and asked what the Government would do. The Taoiseach condemned Russia’s war and sanctions circumvention, saying there was no indication yet of wrongdoing.
Next week sees the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. That means the brutal bombardment of Ukraine is about to enter its fifth year. We have seen appalling casualties and appalling attacks by Russia on the civilian population and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. It is in that context that I raise the alarming revelations on the front of today's edition of The Irish Times, following an investigation by Conor Gallagher, and also covered today in the Ukrainian media today. The story is that components made in Ireland by two Irish companies are ending up in Russian weapons. There is no wrongdoing alleged against the Irish companies. These components are being sold on, it appears. However, these components are appearing in Shahed and Geran drones that are devastating Ukraine this winter. Some 682 civilians were killed last year alone with these sorts of weapons. Swarms of drones are leaving millions of Ukrainians without heat, power or water.
A video of a young woman in Kyiv has gone viral. She told people not to worry about the food in her fridge spoiling during power cuts because without heating, her home is so cold that she is effectively living in a fridge. She has the hashtag #theflatisthefridge.
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This is the reality of life under Russia's grinding war.
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What can the Taoiseach's Government do to ensure that Irish-made components do not end up in Russian weapons?
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Russia's invasion is and has been an horrific act, violating not just territorial integrity but also causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, including Russian soldiers, Ukrainian soldiers and the appalling attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Circumvention of sanctions has been a feature of the war. Europe has tried everything it possibly can, including the appointment of a former Secretary-General of the European Commission, Irishman David O'Sullivan, to try to deal with the circumvention of sanctions across the board. I read the report this morning. There is no suggestion that the companies themselves have done anything illegal, but we will pursue this and follow it through. It is concerning. The circumvention has been a feature in many areas of the war and many aspects of supplies to Russia and so forth.