Ukrainian refugees
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said there is “indisputable evidence” of Russian war crimes in Ukraine as he raised the possible need for Irish families to host refugees escaping the conflict.
Simon Coveney said Ireland would be “central” to the humanitarian response to the crisis but said there was unlikely to be enough state-provided accommodation in the country to cope with a potential influx of 20,000 Ukrainians.
“It will probably have to involve families as well who are willing to open up their homes to Ukrainian families for a temporary period of time,” he said.
Aid appeal
An Post has put a truck and drivers at the disposal of the Irish Red Cross in order to aid the organisation’s Ukraine appeal.
The postal service is also making arrangements to provide any displaced Ukrainian citizens who come to Ireland with An Post Current Account to enable everyday banking, as well as access to its Address Point service which provides a personal address to people who are homeless or living in temporary accommodation.
It is also waiving fees normally payable on financial donations, encouraging the public to donate to Unicef and the Red Cross’s Ukraine crisis appeals at any post office, with the entirety of the donation going to the two organisations.
Lisa Smith trial
Lawyers acting for Lisa Smith, a former Irish soldier who denies membership of Islamic State, are objecting to evidence that allegedly shows Facebook messages between the accused and various people including a convicted terrorist.
Ms Smith (40) from Dundalk, Co Louth is on trial at the Special Criminal Court where she has pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful terrorist group, Islamic State, between October 28th, 2015 and December 1st, 2019.
She has also pleaded not guilty to financing terrorism by sending €800 in assistance, via a Western Union money transfer, to a named man on May 6th, 2015.
Dublin robbery
A Dublin teenager who dragged another boy off a bus during a violent robbery has been detained for two and a half years.
The boy (16), who cannot be named for legal reasons, attacked the teenage victim both on and off the bus during an incident in which the victim was also threatened with being stabbed.
He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery on a bus at Navan Road, Dublin 7, on March 23rd, 2021. He has 62 previous convictions, including convictions for robbery, burglary, theft and assault.
Ukraine invasion
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has said none of his country's military units had moved from their bases, but that the country could mobilise in two to three days in the event of danger, the state-run Belta news agency reported.
Russia warned Kyiv residents to flee their homes on Tuesday and rained rockets down on Kharkiv, as Russian commanders who have failed to achieve a quick victory shifted tactics to intensify the bombardment of Ukrainian cities.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said Russia was barbaric for attacking a TV tower near a memorial site that commemorates the victims of Babyn Yar, one of the biggest single massacres of Jews during the Nazi Holocaust.
