Government calls for 'cool heads' as Russia bans Irish politicians over sanctions

Taoiseach Micheál Martin. Picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos

Taoiseach Micheál Martin responded to calls for the Russian Embassy in Ireland to be closed after he and over 50 other Irish politicians were banned from Russia.

The Kremlin made the announcement on Wednesday. Among those listed are Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe as well as a number of officials.

Following the announcement, some TDs have called for the closure of the Russian Embassy.

One of those who had raised the prospect was Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond who put the question to the Taoiseach this afternoon.

"It is just a further act from a terrorist regime that is raining misery on our continent," he said.

"Is it not finally time to shut down the Russian Embassy in my own constituency, to expel their ambassador and to cut off this constant channel of misinformation, disinformation and aggression from these so-called diplomats?"

Mr Martin said it was a new development and that the Government would look to see what the implications will be.

However, he said that diplomatic channels are always a last resort emphasising the importance of diplomacy.

The sentiment was echoed by Mr Varadkar who said now is not the time to move to close the embassy.

"This is a time for cool heads. We have imposed sanctions on Russian politicians, leaders and business people in the past and they are now imposing them on Irish citizens," said Mr Varadkar.

"Throughout that we have maintained diplomatic relations. Even countries that are at war with each other maintain diplomatic relations so I think we need to consider anything like that very carefully."

The full statement from the Kremlin today stated: "In response to the anti-Russian course of the Irish government, which unconditionally supports the unilateral restrictive measures introduced by the European Union against Russian citizens aimed at attempts to isolate our country internationally, a decision was made to include 52 key representatives of the leadership and politicians of Ireland in the Russian ‘stop list’.

"The list of Irish citizens who are no longer allowed to enter the Russian Federation includes, in particular, Prime Minister M. Martin, his deputy L. Varadkar, Chairman of the [Dáil] (lower house of parliament) S. Ó Fearghaíl, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defence S. Coveney, Minister of Justice H. McEntee, Minister of Finance P. Donohoe, as well as a number of senators and deputies of the lower house of parliament."

Simon Coveney said Ireland will be making “no apology” for being “on the side of international law, the UN Charter, the side of Ukraine and the right side of history”.

“Russia should end its illegal war of aggression, stop killing innocent civilians and shelling of infrastructure,” he added.

 - additional reporting from Greg Murphy