Statement by TUV vice chairman Councillor Allister Kyle:
“The remarks by Fianna Fail TD Cathal Crowe in which he described the existence of Northern Ireland as “a source of hurt” were deeply ironic, particularly in the context of a debate on the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“The mindset displayed by Mr Crowe is strikingly similar to that of President Putin who has attacked the right of Ukraine to exist.
“To talk about respecting “territorial boundaries” in a speech in which he attacks the existence of the Irish Republic’s nearest neighbour shows an irony bypass which is hard to fathom.
“His remarks should act as a wake up call to Unionists who have bought into the Protocol implementing process. Far from regarding the Belfast Agreement as a settlement, Mr Crowe described it as “only a stepping-stone” to an all-Ireland.
“It is time that he, his party and indeed the EU showed a little bit of respect for “territorial boundaries”. Perhaps then they could be taken seriously when it comes to Ukraine. Unionism too would do well to reflect on the fact that that the constitutional ambitions of Dublin remain unchanged.”