Regina Doherty

I will be voting in favour of a full ban on the export of alumina from the EU to Russia. Europe cannot continue supplying strategic materials to a regime waging an illegal and brutal war on our continent.

Every day Putin's invasion claims more innocent lives. If Europe is serious about standing with Ukraine, we cannot allow a single shipment to strengthen Russia's economy or its war machine.

Fears around this issue in particular had been blown out of all proportion.

We need a fair and firm system, that will protect those who need international protection, but will be firm with those who do not have a legal right to stay in the EU and will make sure to enforce the law.

Families with children and unaccompanied minors who do not have a legal right to be in the EU can be detained, but it will be for the shortest appropriate period of time.

There’s compassionate at the heart of it, adding that safeguards are woven throughout the legislation with human rights protections on a number of occasions.

This legislation does not create a European version of ICE in the US or the Rwanda system in the UK, saying that this was misinformation.