Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

During Priority Questions I mentioned the situation in Turkey that my colleagues have outlined. It is time for Ireland to extricate itself from the EU-Turkey arrangement. The Turkish Government has used the coup as an opportunity to shore up and consolidate its power. The attacks on the Kurds, the free press and opposition Members of Parliament are things we should not countenance as a free and open society. Our part in the EU-Turkey migration deal is something I have raised regularly with the Minister. We do not have oversight of how the €20.9 million is being spent. The reason the European Union will not suspend the accession talks with Turkey is it needs Turkey to deal with the migration crisis. We need to speak with a louder voice on this issue. I understand, as Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan mentioned, the need to keep channels of communication open, but Ireland is an independent state and can state its position and that of the Dáil. We do not have to take the EU lead on everything.

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