Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I urge the Deputy not to take everything he reads or hears about the case as fact. Much of the commentary is speculative, although some has a basis in fact. We sent Defence Forces personnel to Turkey to support our embassy team there mainly because of an ongoing conversation between our embassy in Ankara and the Turkish military. It makes sense to have military personnel speaking to military personnel. Although some people suggested we were sending Defence Forces personnel to extract Lisa Smith from north-east Syria, that was not the case. They are providing an important support security and communication role to the ambassador and her team in Ankara. That is not unusual. Defence Forces personnel have previously supplemented our embassy teams in other parts of the world and that is what they are doing in Turkey. Like all sensitive consular cases, the focus must be on the individuals and their family, rather than making it a public story. Of course, there will be a time to answer all questions on the case but, first and foremost, we need to continue to talk to the Turkish authorities to get the job done.

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