Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his policy with respect to Turkish accession to the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41885/09]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 105: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the ongoing ambitions of Turkey to accede to full membership of the European Union. [41934/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 105 together.

Turkey has had a perspective towards membership of the European Union since the conclusion of the Association Agreement of 1963. Negotiations on accession commenced in 2005 and are proceeding, albeit at a slow pace, on ten chapters of the accession framework. The Science and Research Chapter was provisionally closed in June 2006. The Commission has recommended – and the Council is currently discussing – opening an additional chapter, the Chapter on Environment.

The Commission's annual Progress Report, released on 14 October 2009, notes progress on matters such as free and fair local elections, judicial reform, and cultural rights. However the Report concludes that corruption remains prevalent in many areas and it calls for an acceleration in the pace of implementation of reform, in particular, in the fields of freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, trade union rights, civilian oversight of the military, women's rights, and gender equality. It highlights the lack of progress on normalisation of relations with Cyprus and on the implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Ankara Agreement.

Successive European Councils have noted that Turkey has failed to meet its obligations under the "Ankara Protocol" by continuing to refuse to open its ports and airports to vessels and aircraft from the Republic of Cyprus. The Council decided in December 2006 that eight relevant chapters would not be opened and no further chapters would be provisionally closed until Turkey had fulfilled its commitments. The eight chapters are: Free Movement of Goods, Right of Establishment and Freedom to Provide Services, Financial Services, Agriculture and Rural Development, Fisheries, Transport Policy, Customs Union and External Relations. Ireland supports the continuation of accession negotiations with Turkey, while insisting that Turkey fulfil its obligations, including contributing to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue. Complying with the "Ankara Protocol" would be a step in that direction.