Tomás Ó Flatharta

Looking at Things from the Left

Posts Tagged ‘International Migrants Day

Justice for Ukraine – Bring the Stolen Children Home June 1, 12.30pm, The Spire, O’Connell Street Dublin 1

leave a comment »

Justice for Ukraine – Bring the Stolen Children Home June 1, 12.30pm, The Spire, O’Connell Street Dublin 1

Part of a Day of Action on June 1 2025, International Day for Children

Assemble Sunday June 1, 12.30pm The Spire, O’Connell Street

Statement, Ivana Bacik TD, Labour Party Leader

“‘Since 2014, it is known that Russia has abducted nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children. Protests against this barbaric war crime are occurring all over the world, and Russia’s criminal actions have been condemned in the European Parliament and across EU Member States. I commend all activists who are taking part in protests against Russia’s abduction and deportation of Ukrainan children. I have raised this issue in Dáil Éireann (the Irish parliament) and have demanded that the Irish government takes appropriate action to express the strongest possible condemnation of Russian war crimes.’”

Statement, John Boyle, General Secretary, Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO)

“ The INTO endorses the campaign to end the forceful transfer & deportation of Ukrainian children & return them all, ending the enforced Russification process & militarisation”

Supporters Include :


The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO)
The Labour Party

Ivana Bacik TD (Leader, Labour Party)

John Lyons Dublin City Councillor (Independent Left)
Lesley Byrne Dublin City Councillor (Social Democrats)
Nóirín Greene (Senior Irish Trade Unionist)
Des Derwin, Vice Chair, SIPTU Dublin District Council
Tadhg Mac Pháidín, Teachers’ Club (Cumann na Múinteoirí)
Gregor Kerr (INTO)
European Network for Solidarity with Ukraine (ENSU)
Irish Left With Ukraine (ILWU)

Statement issued by the general secretary of British TUC Paul Nowak and other information :
International Actions for Ukraine’s Stolen Children, June 1 2025

Resources :

European Parliament Resolution, May 8 2025 : Return of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred and deported by Russia

C25ppDownload

European Parliament : International Migrants Day: The Left condemns Commission greenlight for pushbacks

leave a comment »

Freedom of movement has to be defended in the European Union.

Source :


International Migrants Day – EU Left condemns commission greenlight for pushbacks

The Left marks International Migrants Day today, noting that the European Commission and Member states have significantly backtracked in recent days over commitments to basic human rights protections for migrants and refugees, to the point of endorsing the illegal practice of pushbacks on EU borders.

In a Communication announced last week by Executive President Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission shockingly gave the greenlight for Member States to conduct pushbacks on the EU’s borders and to adopt ‘exceptional measures’ that suspend or delay the registration of asylum applications.

Left MEP Estrella Galán (Sumar, Spain) said: “The Commission’s decision to grant Member States carte-blanche to suspend the right to asylum at borders under the pretext of ‘security’ threats reflects the growing influence of the far-right, which seeks to criminalise migrants and refugees, turning the right to asylum into a mere tool for control and exclusion.

Left MEP Li Andersson (Vasemmistoliitto, Finland)  said: “The most right-wing Commission in the history of the EU starts its mandate by trying to give the greenlight to Member States to legalise pushbacks. But it is important to note that the Commission Communication is a political statement. Pushbacks are contrary to international human rights law and the assessment of their legality will remain in the hands of the courts – not the Commission. Strengthening security must never mean compromising on fundamental and human rights.” 

This comes following the decision of a number of Member States such as Finland and Poland to suspend asylum processes, citing ‘the instrumentalisation of migration’ by Russia and Belarus. This course of action will only further endanger people seeking refuge at Europe’s external borders.

During this week’s plenary session in Strasbourg, The Left expressed deep concern about these flagrant attacks on human rights and the right to asylum. The Commission’s Communication comes as the European approach to asylum and migration deteriorates across the board. The EU’s policy of border externalisation continues apace, as does the criminalisation of humanitarian aid and search and rescue in Member States, all of which represent a pattern of crackdowns on the right to asylum in the EU since the adoption of the Asylum and Migration Pact.