I echo the congratulations to Senator Nicole Ryan. It is great news and I am delighted for her.

Last night at 9.20 p.m., the Minister for Defence, Deputy McEntee, broadcast a statement on X:

I condemn the launch of hundreds of bombs and drones on Ukraine last night ... Ireland stands with Ukraine and for peace.

Yet, in recent years Ireland has exported millions of tonnes of alumina to Russian smelters in Krasnogorsk, where the high grade aluminium rods and bricks are used in the construction of the propulsion systems for reverse engineered Shahed drones and for the casings of hypersonic missiles. On the one hand, Ireland says we stand with Ukraine and for peace and, on the other, we allow the export of this material.

I am also concerned that Rusal, which is owned by an oligarch connected to Vladimir Putin, has applied for and received permission to expand the red sludge bauxite pit of tailings and slurry it has in the Shannon Estuary. This is being challenged by Limerick residents before the High Court.

On 26 March, Paul Cunningham of RTÉ reported that the Minister announced that the Government had initiated two reviews into the export of alumina, which is now being used in the killing of innocent Ukrainian civilians and defenders. That was six weeks ago. What is happening?

It has again been reported that cluster munitions, which ironically were banned at an international convention in Ireland, at Croke Park in 2008, are being transported through Irish airspace to the Israeli military to be used in places such as Wadi Zibqin, Wadi Barghouz and Deir Siryan, all of which are in and around Irish troops, where Irish troops are trying to protect the Lebanese civilians who are being ethnically cleansed. What country allows the export of alumina to Russia's war machine and says, "We stand with Ukraine"? What country refuses to inspect or find the payload details of aircraft, for which Irish taxpayers are paying the navigation fees, for weapons that will be used in and around young Irish men and women in the service of peace? We have a complete lack of situational awareness. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, are completely out of their depth. I have asked over and over again for a debate. We must get either the Minister or the Taoiseach into the Chamber to explain why we do not have a Minister for Defence and why the Committee on Defence and National Security is not allowed to ask these questions.