Good morning.
It’s the first day of the fifth year of the Russia-Ukraine war that started with the all-out invasion of the country by Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” in 2022. Russia has now been fighting Ukraine for longer than it fought the Nazis.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy addressed the European Parliament in a special sitting, and afterwards MEPs voted in favour of a resolution condemning Russia and promising support to Ukraine. Four of the nine Irish MEPs abstained – the two Sinn Féiners, and Independents Luke “Ming” Flanagan and Michael McNamara.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who also attended a videoconference of leaders of the “coalition of the willing”, the countries supporting Ukraine, accused Sinn Féin of backing the country’s surrender to Russian aggression by voting against €90-billion EU loan.
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Sinn Féin pushed back, insisting in a statement they “stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and affirm their right to determine their own future, free from coercion or occupation”. The party said it “supports sustained humanitarian, financial and political assistance to Ukraine”.
But what Ukraine wants and needs is money and weapons to continue the war. Europe is trying to supply both, but faces internal obstacles, not least the obstructionism of Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban. EU bigwigs including European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen went to Kyiv yesterday to show support, promising to find a way to get the funds and the guns to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Europe – perceiving the threat from Russia and no longer trusting the US under Donald Trump – is rearming apace. Ireland is desperate to be seen to do its bit – or, at least, to be seen to do more than it has in the past, which wouldn’t be hard. Conor Gallagher reports today that the Government has placed a massive order with French arms manufacturers for the supply of vehicles and other kit.
Later today, a new maritime strategy will be launched, promising greater co-operation with EU allies and Nato members. Conor also has the goods on this.
Brave new world, alright.
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The Government’s late-night climbdown on special needs assistants on Monday – too late for the print edition but your up-to-the-minute digest was all over it – did not entirely dampen the political controversy over the issue that has been raging for nearly two weeks now. Though it might have succeeded in lowering the temperature somewhat.
Not in the Dáil, though, where there were sour exchanges between Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
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Also too late for the print edition, Trump delivered his state of the union address overnight, so expect to hear plenty about that this morning. He gave no indication of his intentions on Iran, even as US forces mass in the region. Here’s the New York Times’s first reaction to the speech while our Washington Correspondent, Keith Duggan, has an early-morning analysis.
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Here’s an update on the fallout from Sunday’s events that were “like an air raid” at Oriel Park: Joanna Byrne, the Sinn Féin TD, and chair of Drogheda United did not see any of the people throwing flares on to the pitch at Dundalk clearly enough to identify them. In fairness, they were on the terrace and she was in the stand. But it surely won’t be too hard to find them
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Earnings continue to rise, the CSO reported yesterday, and average weekly earnings now stand at just over €1,000. While cost-of-living pressures are keenly felt by many people, this is good news for the Government, pointing to continued economic strength
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The Government has no files on Jeffrey Epstein, it says.
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Harry McGee was at the launch of Fianna Fáil’s centenary programme.
Best reads
Advice for the Palestinians, from Gerry and Bertie.
Miriam Lord watches Mary Lou and Micheal glower at one another across the floor of the Dáil.
Could we wean ourselves off our dangerous dependence on corporation tax from US companies? John McManus thinks not.
Playbook
Doors open at 9am with topical issues and then a Social Democrats private members’ motion on expanding access to GP care. Leaders’ Questions will be at 12pm, there will be statements of special needs assistants in the afternoon and then an “apology related to childhood abuse”. The International Protection Bill will then go through its final stages over 4½ hours. Here’s a useful briefing from Marie O’Halloran.
Weekly votes and then an adjournment at 11.30pm.
In the Seanad, there will be statements on defence.
It’s a very busy day at the committees with several Ministers appearing before the ones that scrutinise their departments. Several large teams of officials will also be in to discuss a variety of issues and proposals. The full list, along with all the proceedings in the Oireachtas, is here.
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach will meet the president of Montenegro, Jakov Milatovi, at Government Buildings. Milatovi will also swing by the Áras to say hello. Montenegro is on a path to EU membership, and Ireland wants to progress the issue on enlargement (also a great concern of Ukraine) during its presidency of the union in the second half of the year. Dobar dan!
