People Before Profit TDs use Zelensky speech to oppose ‘military escalation’

By Bairbre Holmes, PA

People Before Profit TDs stood without applauding after Volodymyr Zelensky addressed a joint sitting of the Houses of the Oireachtas.

In a statement issued shortly after the Ukrainian president’s speech concluded, Richard Boyd Barrett said: “We continue to stand with the people of Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.

“However, we have always rejected the idea that there is a military solution to this conflict and opposed the calls for military escalation.”

The party leader and Dublin South-West TD Paul Murphy were in the Dáil for Mr Zelensky’s address.

While there were standing ovations from TDs and senators in the chamber and those gathered in the gallery, the two People Before Profit TDs did not join in the applause.

The statement from the party condemned the Russian invasion, saying: “Putin should get out of Ukraine and allow the Ukrainian people to decide their own future.”

But Mr Murphy was critical of increased “militarisation”, saying: “It is very clear that this and the previous government have been cynical in using the war in Ukraine to further undermine Irish neutrality and back EU militarisation.”

He criticised Tuesday’s Government announcement that it would give €100 million in military aid to Ukraine, with Mr Murphy describing it as “yet another flagrant breach of our neutrality”.

He also condemned delays to the Occupied Territories Bill.

The party’s TDs were criticised in 2022 for refusing to clap after Mr Zelensky addressed the Dáil by video link.

A spokesperson for the party said at the time this was due to a disagreement with calls from Mr Zelensky for Nato involvement in the war, as well as citing demands for more sanctions and a “decision to ban opposition parties” in Ukraine.