Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 282: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the contact his Department had with the family of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal who was taken seriously ill and subsequently died in Turkey on 12 January 2009; the way his Department responded to requests by their family for assistance, specifically their request for a translator with medical knowledge; the reason neither the ambassador nor a representative met with the family when they were in Turkey; and if his Department will assist with the €29,000 cost to the family of bringing the person's body home. [2973/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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At the outset, I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest sympathy to the family of the person mentioned by the Deputy.

I can assure the Deputy that our Embassy in Ankara and the Consular Division in Dublin provided extensive consular assistance to the family involved. Embassy staff were available at all times to support the family concerned by telephone from their arrival in Turkey. They remained in contact with and spoke regularly to the family for the duration of their stay. They also spoke regularly on behalf of the family to the doctors treating the woman.

I am assured that at no point did the family express to the Embassy any dissatisfaction about the assistance that they were providing. At no point did the family request the Embassy to send a representative to Alanya.

My Department was contacted by the mother of the woman concerned after she was taken seriously ill while on holiday in Turkey. The woman was taken to Alanya State Hospital on 7 January 2009. On arrival of family members in Alanya on the evening of 8 January, contact was made with the Embassy. The Embassy offered to assist with interpretation. However, this was declined as the Embassy was informed that the family were making local arrangements.

Late on Friday evening, 9 January, the Embassy was informed that the family were not satisfied with the service being provided by the interpreter they had engaged themselves. However, when the Embassy reverted to the family, they were informed that a decision was taken to bring the woman home by air ambulance and the issue of an interpreter was no longer relevant.

The Embassy, on behalf of the family, initiated contact with the air ambulance company (Antalya Assistance) to discuss the possibility of flying the woman home. The family were fully informed of the cost of the flight in advance of their return home and the medical implications. The woman was flown home on 11 January and, sadly, subsequently died in Ireland.

My Department has been in direct contact with the family concerned in relation to the financial costs involved. I am pleased to let you know that, as an exceptional measure, I have approved a grant towards those costs. I can assure the Deputy again that all possible assistance will continue to be provided to the family concerned.