Tánaiste Michael Martin tried to downplay reports of a row between ministers over changes to the way Ukrainian refugees are accommodated in Ireland, saying it was “a bit exaggerated”, reports Breaking News.
A disagreement broke out within the government this week over a proposal to introduce a three-month limit on the time the state would be obliged to provide housing to people fleeing the Russian invasion.
The government is considering abandoning the current measures for an indefinite period amid concerns that the country will not have any housing for newly arrived Ukrainians next year.
Asked if he was “blindsided” by the proposals from Integration Minister and Green Party MP Roderick O’Gorman, the Fianna Fáil leader said there were “ongoing discussions”.
“No, in fairness, there’s been ongoing discussion about this, before the Cabinet meeting, and there will be further discussions about this,” Mr Martin said, reports Breaking News.
“I mean, issues get discussed and teased out at Cabinet, and at Cabinet subcommittee level, and informally between ministers. So I think it’s a bit exaggerated to say there was a row. I think the real story is that Ireland has responded very generously, fairly effectively, in respect of the war on Ukraine. This is the first war since the Second World War on the continent of Europe, we must not lose sight of that,” he added, reports Breaking News.
“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin has weaponised migration deliberately, he bombed civilian infrastructure, energy infrastructure, to create panic early in the war and also to kill civilians, and then to create a migration crisis, the largest we have ever experienced on the mainland of Europe. Ireland has played its part admirably. We shouldn’t lose sight of that. And obviously, as the war goes on, we have to calibrate our response, reflect on it, that’s all very fair. I’m always conscious, fundamentally, we can’t let Putin win this war either. His inhumanity and the Russian invasion, I think, is the ultimate creator of all of this. And we’ve just got to be firm, deal with issues that arise, and we will,” reports Breaking News.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.