To begin with, I associate myself with the warm words of welcome from a number of my colleagues to Senator Tom Clonan on his election. I assure him that what has been said is true and this is a collegiate place. As far as I am concerned, I have never seen a lack of friendship among anybody in this House against anybody else, no matter how deeply divided people have been on matters. It is a quality of Seanad Éireann I am sure Senator Clonan, as a professed peacemaker, will enjoy hugely.

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

I was struck by the fact Senator Norris revealed the terrible truth about Sir John Maxwell. Sir John Maxwell has something in common with my background and he tried to get my grandfather, Eoin MacNeill, executed for calling off the 1916 Rising. I now realise Senator Norris has been concealing this from me for a long time. Poor Eoin MacNeill, for his trouble, was the subject of a slightly drunken rant by Lord Wimborne, the Lord Lieutenant in the Viceregal Lodge, as it was then, saying he would hang MacNeill. That was on the Wednesday of the 1916 Rising. This was in addition to the fact that four days before, Countess Markievicz had when she discovered he was calling it off decided to go to Rathfarnham to shoot him with a revolver. He got it from all sides.

I have something in common with Senator Clonan. Before he was born or close to before he was born, I was an officer too in the Defence Forces, although a non-commissioned officer in the FCA. I have something else in common with him in that until recently his family had the benefit of an assistance dog called Duke and I am the proprietor of the second Duke. Duke has, in fact, resisted being kidnapped by Frances Fitzgerald on the Triangle in Ranelagh. All of this was recorded in Miriam Lord's column in The Irish Times.

All of these links enable me to say in total sincerity that I have the greatest pleasure in being in Senator Clonan's presence here today and to offer him the co-operation of the Seanad Independent Group in every possible way. I welcome him here among us.

Senator Boyhan will be dealing with the question of the sitting tomorrow but I want to comment on what is happening in Ukraine. Every democratic house everywhere across Europe must make it 100% clear to the Government and the diplomatic representatives of the Russian Federation that what is happening is evil, must end and must be resisted-----

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

-----and that the Ukrainian people deserve every support in fighting for their freedom, independence and their country's integrity.