Speech by Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the Commemorative Service for the 40th Anniversary of the Chornobyl Disaster Sunday, 26 April 2026 Bishop Lucey Park, Grand Parade, Cork

Speech by Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the Commemorative Service for the 40th Anniversary of the Chornobyl Disaster Sunday, 26 April 2026 Bishop Lucey Park, Grand Parade, Cork

• From: Department of the Taoiseach

• Published on: 26 April 2026
• Last updated on: 26 April 2026

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Is mór an onóir dom a bheith anseo i gCorcaigh inniu ag ócáid sollúnta seo. Ach ceapaim gur am é chun aitheantas a thabhairt do na daoine is fearr agus don chumhacht atá ag dóchas.

I am honoured to join you here in Cork today for what is a solemn occasion but also, I think, a moment to recognise the best of people, to recognise the power of hope.

I would like to thank Cork City Council and The Greater Chornobyl Cause for inviting me to address you, and for taking the initiative to organise this important event.

Thank you to Fiona and Lord Mayor, Fergal Dennehy for the introduction. I welcome Her Excellency, Larysa Gerasko, Ukrainian Ambassador to Ireland and all of you to this afternoon's commemoration.

Forty years ago today, in the early hours of 26 April 1986, the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant became the site of the most devastating nuclear disaster in history.

A reactor went into meltdown and sent nearly 10 tonnes of radioactive material into the atmosphere covering surrounding regions of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, in a radioactive cloud that contaminated roughly 150,000 square kilometres.

But when we speak of Chornobyl, we must begin not with reactors or radiation levels, but with the people.

The human toll of this tragedy is immense and continues to impact people's lives, even 40 years later, including many who were born after 1986.

In neighbouring regions of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, this disaster has caused loss of life, chronic illness, psychological trauma, and economic hardship that still shape generations.

Around 350,000 people were forced to leave their homes in severely contaminated areas, and many have never been able to return.

The land itself also carries the memory. Forests, fields, and water systems remain scarred by contamination that will endure far beyond our lifetimes.

Reaction in Ireland to the disaster was deeply felt. We became one of the first countries to respond to the humanitarian tragedy.

Since 1986, thousands of Chornobyl's victims, many of them children, have been welcomed into families and communities throughout the country, forming long bonds of friendship and love.

Likewise, thousands of individuals from Ireland give their time and expertise to travel to the impacted region and assist in institutions and homes caring for those affected by Chornobyl.

The people of Ireland, and the organisations represented here today, have maintained their steadfast support to the people of the region, and in particular the children.

None more so than The Greater Chornobyl Cause, an organisation that has tirelessly supported those devastated by the Chornobyl disaster and, more recently, by Russia's brutal war against Ukraine.

Over the years, the charity has built hospices and orphanages, provided vital hospital transport for orphaned children, and supplied essential medical equipment to frontline hospitals.

These efforts have been lifesaving for so many vulnerable individuals-especially children-caught in the crossfire of disaster and conflict. This invaluable work offered hope at a time when it was in scarce supply.

It was and continues to be an example of the best of humanity.

The war in Ukraine has added a heart-breaking new chapter to this struggle. The Greater Chornobyl Cause has expanded its humanitarian work to provide immediate relief to displaced families and communities enduring unimaginable hardship.

Fiona Corcoran's years of dedication to humanitarian issues have seen her earn deserved recognition across Europe.

She has been awarded with The Order of Princess Olga, a rare Ukrainian civil decoration, given to women for outstanding personal achievements in science, education or charity work.

More recently and dare I say most importantly, she won Cork Person of the Month in October 2025.

I thank Fiona, The Greater Chornobyl Cause, and all those who have worked, and continue to work so tirelessly, to help the victims of Chornobyl, one of history's worst man-made disasters, as well as the victims of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

It is important though, to remember that Chornobyl is not only a tragedy of the past, it is a warning for the present and the future.

The tragedy of Chornobyl prompted global action. In the decades since, the international community has taken steps to reduce nuclear risks.

Global cooperation has strengthened through institutions like the International Atomic Energy Agency, and agreements such as the Convention on Nuclear Safety.

The EU has been at the forefront of these efforts and has contributed over €400 million to the New Safe Confinement, a vast steel arch which seals the reactor in Chornobyl. This feat of engineering is both a testament to human ingenuity and a reminder of our limits.

It is an acknowledgment that the consequences of nuclear disaster cannot be undone, only contained. And yet, despite the tragic lessons of Chornobyl, new dangers are emerging.

Russia continues its relentless war of aggression against Ukraine.

This has included reckless attacks that have compromised the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at Chornobyl, and the illegal seizure and militarisation of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest in Europe.

Attacks on such facilities risk releasing radiation, with consequences that would once again fall most heavily on civilians, families, and communities who have no control over the forces that endanger them.

Knowing the potential consequences, as we have seen from the fallout from the Chornobyl disaster, we cannot run that risk.

This is just one of the reasons that Ireland and the EU remain fully committed in our support for Ukraine as it exercises its right to self-defence against Russia's war of aggression.

The issues at stake are not just fundamental for Ukraine and its people, but for Europe as a whole, including for Ireland.

Ireland has contributed extensive political, humanitarian, non-lethal military, and economic support to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion four years ago.

We have welcomed over 120,000 Ukrainians into our communities and our homes, some of whom I am delighted to see here this afternoon. This echoes the welcome provided to the victims of the Chornobyl disaster over the past four decades.

Along with our EU counterparts, we will continue to support Ukraine and maintain pressure on Russia, including during our EU Presidency later this year.

We will continue to support robust targeted sanctions against Russia.

We will work to ensure that Ukraine continues to have access to the finance it needs, including to defend itself against Russia's ongoing illegal aggression.

And we will continue to work to advance Ukraine's path to EU accession.

We will continue to work closely with Ukraine, our EU and international partners, to secure the best outcome for the people of Ukraine and for Europe.

Seasamh Éire leis an Úcráin, anois, agus go mbeidh Éire ag seasamh leis an Úcráin amach anseo.

Ireland stands with Ukraine, now, and in the future.

Events like today's serve as an opportunity to reflect, not only on the tragic disaster of forty years ago, but on the immense reaction of our island to such a tragedy.

Over the last four decades, Irish Charities and NGOs have worked tirelessly in the region impacted by the disaster, making a significant humanitarian impact. This unwavering support has seen the building of close bonds between the people of Ireland and the impacted region today.

I once again thank each and every one of those who have dedicated so much of their time and effort to bringing hope, compassion and empathy to those whose lives have been deeply affected.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh.

ENDS