We, in the Labour Party, also welcome the International Claims Commission for Ukraine being established and the Irish support for the same. In a world where the international rules-based order is unravelling and disintegrating, it is instruments such as this that we need to support and hold firm with, along with many others. Of course, as stated by the Minister, the success of this instrument will be reliant upon the Russians themselves signing up and the Russians themselves funding the compensation as it is calculated towards Ukraine. At this point in time, that seems quite fanciful but given where we are in the world, it is these instruments which we need to bring forward that we need to support. For those of us who support a proper, international rules-based approach to conflict resolution, accountability, justice and resolution, it is instruments like this which we need to put our full support behind. For Ireland, we have demonstrated real solidarity with Ukraine. It has been somewhat easy for us on a number of levels. For many decades, Russia, or formerly the Soviet Union, has been either a very real threat to Europe or, at best, an uneasy and not too trusted ally at times. However, for the past decade or so, and as we have seen in the Ukraine war of the past four and a bit years, Russia has become a very real threat and enemy to the stability of Europe. Ukraine has suffered up to 600,000 casualties, with as many as 140,000 deaths as a result of Russia's invasion and war of aggression. That is according to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. There is no doubt in our minds that the actions Russia has carried out have resulted in death and destruction and damage to and destruction of infrastructure, schools and hospitals. It continues. As we heard in the Minister's statement, April of this year was the most destructive month of the entire conflict when it comes to long-range missile attacks upon Ukraine. While no conflict is black and white, this conflict is as close as we can get in the modern world. However, there is another conflict that is taking place which we also view as quite black and white, namely the US and Israel's war upon Iran. In any general terms, it was unprovoked. As despicable as the Iranian regime is and has been for many years, the US and Israel launched a war for which they have no logical outcome and which is causing death and destruction. While there is an uneasy peace at the moment, there is long-term economic damage. There is no sense that Ireland, the international community or Europe will act in such a way as to tackle the United States and Israel for their actions of unprovoked war and their actions of roguery the way we are with Russia, and rightly so with Russia. There is an inconsistency in our own approach, not withstanding historic cultural links, contemporary economic links and all of the other things we have with the United States. What is being done is wrong. While we are unsure as to what the outcome will be in terms of the US, Israel or Iran, there is one winner early on from that conflict and that is Vladimir Putin, for whom Trump has "temporarily" lifted sanctions on Russian oil. That "temporary" lifting of sanctions has been extended by Trump and there is a sense in Kyiv that Trump is closer to Moscow than he is to Kyiv in how he is operating his international policy and affairs, insomuch as anyone can account for them. All of us present here in the Chamber have spoken how the old order has been absolutely obliterated and it is uncertain as to where we are at. The instruments that are being proposed are laudable. We need them and we need them to work. In the world that exists today without the bigger powers or without institutions like the European Union being fully behind them, it is very difficult to see how they will have an impact. We in Ireland have to do what we have been doing for the past four years and three or four months - standing shoulder to shoulder with the people of Ukraine. We must do that. I hope this convention comes into force and that Russia signs up to it. I hope Russia pays compensation to Ukraine. I do not think that will happen but that should not be a reason not support this and push it has hard as we can through the United Nations, the EU and any bilaterals we have.

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