Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has said that he is “willing to go further” and expel more Russian diplomats from the Russian Embassy.
However, he dismissed suggestions that the Russian Ambassador Yuri Filatov will be set home..
It comes following news that the Russian Foreign Ministry had placed a travel ban on 52 Irish politicians earlier this week.
READ MORE: Irish pensioner caught growing cannabis insists 'I'm no criminal' and wants drug legalised
This included Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and a range of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil TDs and Senators.
While Mr Filatov was summoned to the Department of Foreign Affairs earlier this week, Minister Coveney dismissed calls for him to be expelled, arguing that diplomatic channels should be kept open.
“Wars end because people talk to each other,” he said.
“For me, keeping diplomatic channels open with a country, even when you fundamentally disagree with what they're doing and the legality of what they're doing, is important.
“That's how international diplomacy works.
“We have an ongoing review, as to the appropriate presence of Russia, in terms of their Embassy in Dublin. We’ve already made a decision to ask for people to leave.
“But we're not going to have a knee-jerk reaction to what's happened this week.”
When asked if he knew what all employees in the Russian Embassy on Dublin’s Orwell Road worked as, Minister Coveney said that he has “information that other people don't have access to”.
He pointed out that Ireland has already expelled four diplomats from the Embassy and while there are currently no plans to expel any more.
“I think it's better not to comment publicly on national security issues,” he continued.
“Just to reassure people, we have already taken decisions in relation to asking certain people to leave.
“If we need to go further, we would be willing to do that.”
The Fine Gael Ard Fheis will debate whether or not the Government should abandon its opposition to the triple lock system. This means that in order for troops to go on a mission, it needs three levels of sin off. Government approval, Dáil approval and UN approval.
Minister Coveney said that dropped opposition to the triple lock would “not be radical”. He said that the move would be a “sensible change”.
He said: “I think global politics has changed in the last year. And I think a lot of Irish people will be very uncomfortable with the fact that somebody making a decision in the Kremlin, to frustrate a UN mandate would essentially be able to veto whether Ireland could participate in a peacekeeping mission or a post-conflict management situation or a peace intervention in any part of the world.”
READ NEXT:
Permanent TSB latest bank to up mortgage interest rates - all you need to know
Met Eireann forecast temperatures to plummet below freezing as cold snap hits
Irish dad-of-13 'been through hell' as he lists series of unfortunate events
'Your mam was right' - Expert warns drinking from bathroom tap could be deadly
RTE Radio One boss fears he will lose two major stars to rival stations
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter
