Micheál Martin orders departments to make contingencies for Russia crisis 

The Taoiseach warned that the imposition of sanctions will have a negative impact on the cost of living

Taoiseach Micheál Martin. File picture

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has ordered all Government departments to develop plans to cope with the fallout of the Russian crisis, particularly on the cost of living.

He warned that the imposition of sanctions will have a negative impact on the cost of living.

Speaking on Wednesday evening at a private meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, Mr Martin told his TDs the situation with Russia is very serious and there is an emergency EU council tomorrow: 

We are seeing mass militarisation and we have seen nothing like this since World War II. 

He said everyone in Europe is vulnerable to this aggression and we cannot accept it. Covid has been a tough two years but the severity of this new crisis has shown no signs of abating and a severe escalation will have devastating consequences.

“It will have an impact on global stability, economies and also inflation. We hope diplomacy can win out," he said.  

"Sanctions will impact everyone across the EU in different ways but are a necessary response. We have asked all departments and agencies to develop contingency plans in response to this crisis."

Cost of living

At the meeting, TDs John McGuinness and James O’Connor called on the Government to spell out what it will do should further financial pressure be heaped on families because of the crisis.

Mr McGuinness asked: “What is the government going to do for those people who are having to choose between food and fuel?” 

Mr Martin addressed the fractious row he had earlier in the day with Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald on housing, saying he’d prefer not to get into rows but was not prepared to accept criticism from a party which he said offered no solutions.

'Powerful' presentation on Thalidomide

The meeting heard what several sources described as a “powerful” presentation from members of the Irish Thalidomide Association who “put it up” to the Taoiseach and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to “sort it out”.

Sixty one years ago, on November 26th, 1961, a drug linked to major birth defects in pregnancy was withdrawn from global markets. Thalidomide was prescribed to pregnant women in the 1950s and 1960s as a treatment for morning sickness, but was removed from world markets in 1961.

There are approximately 40 thalidomide survivors in Ireland. The meeting heard that they have been “fobbed off” by 25 different health ministers and there was a sharp exchange between Mr Donnelly and Mr McGuinness.

Mr Donnelly said he has agreed to meet with the survivors next Monday but Mr McGuinness, who had pushed for the survivors to address the parliamentary party several weeks ago, wanted to know if there would be any actual progress or would they frustrated again.

At the meeting, Mr McGuinness said so many different health ministers had “hidden behind legal advice” to deny the survivors the justice they deserved and asked Mr Donnelly, once the victims had left the room, would the same happen again on Monday.

Mr Donnelly said he would not answer the question for Mr McGuinness, prompting the Kilkenny TD to accuse the minister of engaging in “Watt-isms” a reference to Mr Donnelly’s combative secretary general Robert Watt.

Mr McGuinness is chair of the Oireachtas finance committee, which recently published a scathing report into the awarding of a salary of €292,000 to Mr Watt and also of Mr Watt’s treatment of the committee.

“He has taught you well, Stephen,” Mr McGuinness said to the minister during the sharp exchange in which “voices were raised.”