Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Recent developments in Turkey have brought the country to international attention frequently over recent months, and I remain very concerned about the situation there. Turkey has been the victim of many terrorist attacks over the past year, carried out by ISIS or by the PKK and its affiliates. Over the course of 2016, more than 600 people lost their lives through acts of terrorism in Turkey. Already in 2017, Turkey has suffered three utterly appalling acts of violence.

I issued a statement on 1 January following the despicable shooting at the Reina nightclub in Istanbul in the early hours of New Year’s Day, in which 39 people were tragically murdered. In addition to this deplorable attack, two people were killed in a car bomb at a checkpoint in Izmir on 5 January, and four policemen were killed following an explosion in Diyarbakir, south-east Turkey on 16 January.

The increasingly volatile situation in the south-east of the country is a matter of real concern. I once again extend my condolences to the families of all those affected by these horrific acts of violence, and to the people of Turkey. I unequivocally condemn terrorism in all its forms and repeat that Ireland, along with our European partners, stands in solidarity with Turkey in its fight against terrorism.

While it is clear that the Turkish authorities face very difficult challenges, I continue to have serious ongoing concerns about democracy, the rule of law, human rights and freedom of expression, in particular freedom of the media, in the country in the aftermath of the attempted coup in July 2016 and the extended state of emergency, which is still in place.

The concerns of the EU, which are fully shared by Ireland, were set out in a detailed statement on 8 November last. Unfortunately, these concerns still persist. I have repeatedly raised these concerns at meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council with my fellow European foreign ministers. Turkey has also been discussed at European Councils where the Taoiseach represented Ireland. It was the subject of intensive debate at the December General Affairs Council in the enlargement context, where the Minister of State, Deputy Dara Murphy, also spoke of Ireland’s concerns. I also raised our concerns at the Council of Europe last September. Along with our EU partners, we will continue to monitor the situation in Turkey closely.

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