However, the Government says diplomatic channels between Ireland and Russia should remain open.
Four senior officials attached to the Russian Embassy in Ireland have been asked to leave the country, the Government has confirmed.
In a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said the expulsion is because the diplomats' activities have "not been in accordance with international standards of diplomatic behaviour".
Russian Ambassador to Ireland Yury Filatov has been informed of the move, though is not one of the officials in question.
The statement from Minister Coveney in full reads:
"This afternoon, the Department of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian Ambassador to Iveagh House to advise him that four senior officials have been asked to leave the State.
“This is because their activities have not been in accordance with international standards of diplomatic behaviour.
"This action is being taken under Article 9 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
"The Government continues to believe that diplomatic channels between Ireland and the Russian Federation should remain open.
"This is in the interests of our citizens as well as to ensure that we can continue to have a diplomatic channel of communication between Ireland and the Russian Federation in the future.
"This channel of communication has been important in the context of conveying our strong views on the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine, which we regard as a serious breach of international law."
Speaking in Dáil Éireann on Tuesday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin also confirmed the move, stating that it came after he received security advice the day before.
Martin's comments followed Labour leader Ivana Bacik's earlier call for the expulsion of the Russian Ambassador from Ireland.
https://twitter.com/simoncoveney/status/1508808412125085706
Main images via Julien Behal Photography and Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie
