Simon Coveney: Russian ban of officials an attempt to 'unsettle Ireland'

Foreign affairs minister said Ireland's role is to hold Russia accountable for the atrocities committed in Ukraine

Simon Coveney said that he did not want to comment on who was on the sanctions list and who was not.

The foreign affairs minister has said the decision by Russia to ban 52 Irish officials, including politicians, is a "very unwelcome distraction" and an effort to unsettle Ireland and its political system.

Simon Coveney said that Ireland should not play this game. He said the role of Ireland in holding Russia to account for the atrocities it is committing in Ukraine has been very effective and we should continue to focus our attention on this.

Mr Coveney said that he did not want to comment on who was on the sanctions list and who was not.

"We have informed each of the individuals who are on the list so that they know themselves and that is as much as we are going to do," he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.

"Our focus really is to look beyond what is a distraction and an attempt by Russia to unsettle Ireland and to focus on what we do well which is to be a strong international voice and to protect international law and to protect the UN Charter.

"I think this is an effort by Russia to unsettle Ireland and our political system and I don't think we should play that game.

We should focus on where the real war is which is in Ukraine where Russia is responsible for war crimes.

"Ireland's role in terms of trying to hold Russia to account for what they are doing is where we have been very effective and that is where we should continue to focus our attention."

Mr Coveney said that in reality none of the 52 names that are now subject to a travel ban had any intention of visiting the country anytime soon.

He said that the ban primarily impacts politicians in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael with some independents also being featured and "one or two party representatives".

"It doesn't cover all political parties. But look I don't want to insinuate anything from who is not on the list and who is on the list. This is a decision by Moscow to target Ireland and it is not our job to publicise that."

Declaration on weapons

Later on Friday, Mr Coveney will attend a conference in Dublin Castle where more than 70 states are expected to sign on to the first international explosive weapons declaration to protect civilians in populated areas.

He said his focus is on that event.

Mr Coveney said that Ireland cannot take a stance of neutrality at a time when we see a military superpower looking to change international borders by force.

"If one country is blatantly breaching international law and another country is the victim of that, well Ireland takes sides.

And we shouldn't apologise for taking sides.

"We are not members of Nato but we are a country that chooses between right and wrong and we are doing so in this instance. And so we should.

"What we have today is a country that has decided to target Ireland this week with specific sanctions in an effort to create political division in Ireland so we are less focused on holding Russia to account. We shouldn't be playing that game."