A Clare academic believes some form of retaliatory measure is probable in the wake of the Russian travel ban on a number of Irish politicians.
It comes as the Russian Ambassador to Ireland has been summoned to attend the Department of Foreign Affairs today.
Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney made the call to summon Yuri Filatov yesterday, after it emerged Russia had issued a travel ban against 52 Irish politicians, including the Taoiseach and Tanaiste.
The full list of names hasn’t been published, but Ambassador Filatov is being questioned about it by the Secretary General of the Department at Iveagh House.
Moscow claims Ireland is trying to isolate the Kremlin by supporting EU sanctions.
Up to now the Government has insisted that it was best to keep diplomatic channels open while the war continues in Ukraine, but Fine Gael Senator Neale Richmond says the time has come to change that.
The Finance Minister doesn’t support the call from his party colleague.
Paschal Donohoe has told Clare FM’s Morning Focus that it could risk having our Ambassdor in Moscow expelled in retaliation.
A Clare native academic does think there will be some form of retaliatory measure though.
Professor of Politics at DCU Donnacha Ó Beacháin says we’ve never had a particularly cosy relationship with the embassy in Dublin, having expelled diplomats in the past, but an ambassador has never been expelled.
The Newmarket on Fergus native believes however, that we may be at a tipping point.
Listen to the full interview below:
