Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We have some experience on this island of hunger strikes and where that can lead. The latest report I have is that there are 707 Kurdish prisoners on hunger strike and that there is a core group of 64 who went on hunger strike on 12 September and who are now on their 64th day. I understand three issues form the basis for the hunger strikers' demands. The first issue is an end to the isolation of the PKK leader, Abdullah Öcalan, who was captured in 1999. The Turkish Prime Minister has now said that Mr. Öcalan can have access to his family. The second issue is the right of Kurdish suspects to defend themselves in court in the Kurdish language. I understand the Government of Turkey yesterday submitted a Bill to Parliament which will allow suspects to use the Kurdish language during their defence statement and trials. The third issue is the right to mother tongue education in Kurdish. Again, I am informed that the Turkish Government is beginning to provide for elective classes in Kurdish.

Clearly, this will be an issue in the context of Turkey's EU perspective and the issue of accession, and I expect this is an issue we will be handling during our Presidency of the EU next year. We have said we would like to see progress made on Turkey's accession but, clearly, there are standards, criteria and human rights commitments and standards that have to be complied with for accession. This issue will obviously form part of that discussion.

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