Limerick TD banned from Russia
LIMERICK TD Willie O'Dea has described news that he has been banned from entering Russia as "fantastic".
But the former Defence Minister criticised Russian president Vladimir Putin for not contacting him personally to tell him of the ban.
The veteran Fianna Fail deputy was named as one of more than 50 Irish politicians who the Kremlin, the Russian parliament, have decided will not be welcome in the country.
Earlier this week, the Kremlin said 52 "key representatives" from Ireland had been placed on a sanction list for expressing what it claimed was Russophobic sentiment over its decision to invade neighbouring Ukraine.
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In that number is Mr O'Dea, along with Clare TD Cathal Crowe and Ireland South MEP Billy Kelleher.
An Taoiseach Michael Martin and Tanaiste Leo Varadkar is among the number, as is Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey, who chairs the Shannon Airport Oireachtas group and Senator Timmy Dooley, who also comes from the Banner.
Reacting to the news, the Limerick City TD Mr O'Dea said: "I have no present plans to travel to Moscow so it won't interfere with my social calendar in any way in the short term. I don't know what I've done particularly to offend Moscow apart from my very outspoken opposition to the barbarism going on in Ukraine at the moment. But when you consider the morality of what is going on in Ukraine, I consider it a privilege to be on this list."
Earlier today, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said the individuals who have been sanctioned had been informed.
But Mr O'Dea said he learnt about his exclusion from the media.
"I think it was impolite of Mr Putin not to call me personally. But having said all that, maybe I should regard it as a backhanded honour that they are aware of my existence as far away as Moscow. It shows I'm being noticed in Moscow. I guess I will just have to check my phones to ensure they are not being watched," he laughed.
The Irish Independent established that the list consists of 33 Fianna Fáil politicians, 16 Fine Gael representatives, the Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil Sean O Ferghail, Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik and Independent senator Gerard Craughwell.