Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I welcome our colleagues from Turkey. We are delighted to have them here. We are renewing associations of some years ago. Many years ago Deputy Eric Byrne and I visited Turkey. Negotiations towards European Union membership have not progressed a great deal in the meantime, but we are glad to note that things have come on to the front burner again as opposed to being postponed.

Many issues face Turkey and the European Union which are of common interest at present. There are many issues to which Turkey can make a major, serious and constructive contribution. In that context in the past ten years or so I have had the honour to attend meetings in the Middle East and eastern Europe, wherein the importance of Turkey's influence in the European Union has been emphasised. We need to recognise that and take it on board at present.

In the context of the ongoing negotiations, I would be a strong supporter of Turkish membership of the European Union and have always been. I strongly support every effort to advance that cause and to try to ensure that the people who wish to become part of the European Union, whether in eastern Europe or elsewhere within the periphery of Europe, do so. The neighbourhood process and the process of integration should be progressed in so far as possible and as quickly as possible.