Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Ferghal Blaney

EU President Ursula Von der Leyen heaps praise on Ireland for taking in tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees

Ursula Von der Leyen has heaped praise on the Irish people for their “outstanding” kindness and hospitality in accepting tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees.

She said she wanted to thank the many families for “opening their hearts and their homes.”

The EU President was speaking outside Government Buildings where she was greeted on arrival in Dublin by Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

Read More: Gardaí probe if man fleeing Monaghan violent death scene was killed in crash

Ms Von der Leyen and Mr Martin both addressed the media with the President also predicting that the Government’s commitment to renewable energy could soon see us become a “clean energy superpower.”

Ms Von der Leyen is in Ireland on an official two day visit, with highlights of her trip to include a historic address to a joint session of the Dáil and Seanad in Leinster House and a call to President Michale D Higgins in Aras an Uachtarain.

In her remarks on the steps of Government Buildings, she said: “We are in difficult times because Russia unleashed an atrocious war against Ukraine.

“And first and foremost I want to thank the Irish people for opening their hearts and their homes to Ukrainian refugees.

“This is outstanding.”

Ms Von der Leyen added about the move away from fossil fuels to renewables: “We are working very closely together first of all to diversify away from Russian fossil fuels, with success.

“We have saved a lot of energy, we have filled our storages, so we are safe for the winter.

“But of course there needs to be an answer for the mid and long term.

“And here I want to underline how impressive the Irish investment in renewable energy is.

“You are on the best way (SIC) to becoming a clean energy superpower in the European Union.”

READ NEXT :

Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.