Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 117: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he supports the accession of Turkey to the European Union and, if so, to give a timeframe for same [36126/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The European Union enjoys a long and close relationship with Turkey. Accession negotiations were opened in 2005 and Ireland continues to make a constructive input to on-going negotiations. As a beneficiary of a past enlargement, and on the experience of more recent accessions, Ireland is broadly supportive of enlargement. The prospect of enlargement bolsters economic and political reform processes and helps to promote stability, security and prosperity in Europe. The process includes rigorous conditionality and must take into account the capacity of the EU to integrate new members. Enlargement has to be negotiated and, as in any negotiation, the eventual outcome and timeframe cannot be predicted.

These factors shape Ireland's approach to Turkey's candidacy. There are, in addition, potential gains to the single market and to trade through the accession of a country of Turkey's size. The Union's reach and influence in the Middle East and Central Asia could be enhanced through Turkish accession.

However, Turkey still has substantial work ahead in meeting the established criteria and conditions for membership, in particular, acceptance of the terms of the Ankara Protocol. Progress in the negotiations has been disappointingly slow. Successive European Councils have highlighted Turkey's continued non-compliance with 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 2006 that eight chapters of the accession framework could not be opened and no further chapters would be provisionally closed until Turkey fulfils its commitments in this regard. These measures remain in place. The matter is kept under review by EU Ministers in the Council, most recently at their meeting last December. We will do so again before the end of this year. An Intergovernmental Conference with Turkey at Ministerial level was held in June, where enlargement was reviewed. At the bilateral level I met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, in Dublin on 10 March 2010. In the course of that meeting, Minister Davutoglu outlined the progress Turkey has made on reforms in a number of areas as it has sought to bring Turkey more in line with the EU acquis . He explained how the accession negotiations provide a strong incentive for Turkey to pursue reforms, strengthen democracy and human rights and further modernise the country. While much has been achieved in Turkey in these areas, the challenge is now for Turkey to maintain and accelerate the progress on reforms.

I reiterated to Minister Davutoglu Ireland's support for the Turkish candidacy. At the same time, I noted the Council's deep regret at Turkey's continued non-compliance with its obligations under the Ankara Protocol and I highlighted the need for Turkey to make progress towards normalisation of its relations with the Republic of Cyprus.

When I met with Minister Davutoglu more recently, in the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York in September, I again stressed the importance of making progress on the Cyprus issue and emphasised once more the need for Turkey to comply with its obligations under the Ankara Protocol.

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator, Mr. Egemen Bagis, plans to visit Dublin in November and we look forward to discussing further the progress Turkey has made in reforms following passage of the recent referendum on constitutional reform, and the challenges which still lie ahead.