The Minister for Foreign Affairs has asked the Irish ambassador to Moscow to seek clarification today about reported restrictions on children from Belarus travelling to Ireland.
Mr Dermot Ahern told the Dáil there had been indications the Belarusian authorities might restrict travel abroad by children in need of rest and recuperation, including children suffering from the Chernobyl disaster.
"This House will be well aware that Ireland is among the states that have taken a lead in rendering humanitarian aid to Belarusian children in order to relieve the after-effects of the Chernobyl nuclear accident," he said.
"We are all familiar with the exceptional work of the Chernobyl Children's Project."
He revealed he had been taking one of those children into his own home for the past nine years.
Replying to Mr Seán Haughey (FF, Dublin North Central) and Ms Jan O'Sullivan (Labour, Limerick East) on the adjournment, he said he raised the issue at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on November 22nd.
He said he had "pointed out that, if implemented, the new regulations would add a new and worrying dimension to the isolation of Belarus from the rest of Europe".
