The Taoiseach has said that a meeting was held with the Russian ambassador today and that it was conveyed to him that Russia's behaviour was "absolutely unacceptable".
Ambassador Yury Filatov met Deputy Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs Sonja Hyland at Iveagh House, after he was summoned by Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney.
Yesterday, Russia banned entry to Taoiseach Micheál Martin, and more than 50 other top officials, in response to Western sanctions over Ukraine.
The Department of Foreign Affairs now has the full list of 52 names sanctioned by Russia.
It is understood these are mainly politicians who will be contacted this evening.
Among those listed are Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, Mr Coveney and Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe.
Minister for European Affairs Thomas Byrne and former Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan are also on the list, as are Fianna Fáil TDs Jim O'Callaghan, Sean Haughey and Paul McAuliffe, Fine Gael TDs Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Neale Richmond, and Labour leader Ivana Bacik.
Fianna Fáil senator Timmy Dooley and MEP Billy Kelleher, both of whom have visited Ukraine, are also on the list.
In a statement on today's meeting the Department of Foreign Affairs said: "The Government's firm objection to the unwarranted and unjustified travel ban imposed on Irish citizens was conveyed.
"Ireland’s position in respect of Russia’s illegal aggression against Ukraine was reiterated.
"Ireland’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and its right to defend itself against this attack under Article 51 of the UN Charter, was also reiterated.
"The Department of Foreign Affairs was given a copy of the list of 52 citizens subject to the travel ban.
"The Department will be informing the individuals concerned but will not be publishing the list.
"The Minister is consulting with his senior officials this evening and will be bringing further details to the party leaders in government in due course."
It is thought that this is unlikely to include expelling the Russian Ambassador.
Mr Martin said that the actions of Russia were designed to undermine Ireland's bona fides and the stance Ireland has taken on the war.
The Taoiseach told the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party meeting last night that the Government would not be deflected by Russia's actions, which he described as propaganda.
Asked if the Government would expel the Russian ambassador, Mr Martin said that the Government would meet again to reflect and give further consideration on whether measures would be imposed against the ambassador or embassy.
Calls for expulsion
There have been several calls to expel the Russian ambassador, including from some within the Government ranks.
Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond said the ambassador should be directed to the airport after his meeting in Iveagh House today.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Mr Richmond said Mr Filatov should have been expelled months ago.
"Over the last number of months, we have seen this individual and the team around him being used as a tool of propaganda in the war," Mr Richmond said.
"Misinformation, disinformation, we have seen protests on the streets supporting this brutal illegal invasion. We have heard him on the airwaves and in the newspapers saying the most vile things about Ireland and the people of Ukraine.
"This latest act by the Russian Federation is clearly being driven by the embassy in Dublin and indeed the last line of their sentence says any further action will be taken on advice of Dublin."
However, it is understood that the thinking at Cabinet level is not in this space at the moment and there remains a strong desire to keep diplomatic channels open.
Minister Coveney has vowed that Ireland would continue to take sides in this conflict and was backing Ukraine for good reasons.
'Sow confusion and discord'
The Russian foreign ministry said the measures against the 52 figures were taken following Ireland's support of EU sanctions against Russia.
"Acting under orders from Brussels, Ireland is conducting an aggressive anti-Russian propaganda campaign," said a foreign ministry statement.
Minister Byrne said the move by Russia was done deliberately to "sow confusion and discord among the Irish political system".
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he said Russia's announcement came during Dáil speeches by the Taoiseach and while Mr Coveney was in Washington DC.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Mr Byrne said it is important "not to rise to the bait".
"Quite frankly, we don't have the information. We don't know who's on the list and what the extent of it is and why they would do this.
"But we do know that they've done this in a number of other countries where they've published just a handful of names and said, well, actually there's a lot more on the list, and they never publish them, so that's a possible outcome here as well."
Mr Byrne added that Ireland will "absolutely not be deterred from our focus on supporting Ukraine and upholding those basic principles that Ireland has always stood by, and that Russia should too".
On expelling staff at the Russian embassy, he said that is a decision that certainly could be taken, but diplomacy is really the last line of communication, and that at some point when the war in Ukraine is over, there will be discussions that will have to be had.
Independent TD and former Army Ranger Cathal Berry said he does not have a major problem with the consular activities and the diplomatic activities taking place at the Russian embassy but expressed concern over "the more nefarious part of the embassy".
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Mr Berry claimed approximately half of the 30 staff at the embassy are "there under false pretenses".
"Basically they're not true diplomats at all. In fact, they’re just using diplomatic immunity to carry out their pretty nefarious activities here, and that's the area we should be focusing on trying to strip away the intelligence gathering and the influence operations that are taking place there," he said.
Mr Berry said he would not object to the ambassador being expelled from the country but he thinks there is "a superior option available" which would be to "strip away the military and the intelligence side, but you leave the consular and the diplomatic element or component in place".
Sanctions against Irish officials 'no surprise' - expert
A retired lieutenant colonel and former deputy director of military intelligence in the Defence Forces has said it comes as no surprise that Russia has decided to ban senior Irish officials from entering the country.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Michael Murphy said it was only a matter of time before it would happen.
"We have been quite hawkish in the European Union, looking for sanctions against Russia," Mr Murphy said.
"We have now also decided to train some of the Ukrainian forces, so, therefore, one should not be surprised that there would be a counteraction for all of that from the Russians, it's just a matter of when that was going to happen."
Mr Murphy added that "diplomacy seems to have failed completely".
"War is a failure of diplomacy and therefore how are we doing diplomatically to try and ease tensions or to try and get the Russians to leave Ukraine and for Ukraine to have peace," he said.
With additional reporting by Tommy Meskill, Sandra Hurley, David Murphy
