Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 18 December 2012

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs

Exchange of Views with Mr. Egemen Bagis, Turkish Minister for Europe and Principal Turkish Negotiator for EU Membership.

2:20 pm

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I shall add a few comments before handing over to the Minister for his response. Like many of my colleagues, I have visited his country on several occasions. Speaking personally, I am very supportive of Turkey's membership of the EU. I would like to see the process in which it is engaged start again, be re-energised and move forward. Turkish membership of the EU would benefit the union, Turkey and the broader region. Like some of my colleagues, I urge the minister to do all he can in respect of the concerns we have all articulated about Cyprus.

It is a country towards which many Irish people have an affinity. We would very much want to see progress made in this area to reflect the journey we went on as a country. I also hope to see one day in the future that Turkey would be given the choice to fully join the European Union. I hope that decision will be a positive one.

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