Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 91: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on European Union enlargement; his further views on the current state of negotiations regarding Turkey's membership of the European Union and the progress if any on the normalisation of bilateral relations between Turkey and the republic of Cyprus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13577/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Our approach to EU enlargement is positive. Expanding the Union encourages a more prosperous and stable Europe and the process itself is equally beneficial to candidate countries in inspiring them to achieve economic and political reforms and to strengthen their democratic values.

Respect for these norms as set out in the Treaties, the adoption of a European perspective which those values reflect, strict adherence to membership conditions, and the capacity of the EU itself to integrate the new member are all important factors in assessing the pace and progress of an applicant's accession. It follows that the exact timing of completion of that process is variable and dependent on the candidate meeting in full the benchmarks demanded in the negotiation phase.

These factors underpin this Government's supportive approach to Turkey as an EU candidate. Accession may follow once that country fulfils the established membership criteria and provided that EU member States and the European Commission are satisfied that all the conditions have been met. There are, moreover, potential gains to be had from increasing the size of the single market and for trade opportunities which can flow from Turkish accession; that country is a significant economic and political regional power and the Union's reach and influence in the Middle East and Central Asia could be thereby enhanced.

However, the pace of progress in the negotiations to date has been slow, due to a number of factors. Only 13 of the 35 chapters that comprise the accession dossier have been opened; no chapter is currently under negotiation, and there continue to be significant obstacles to progress. Turkey's failure to implement the Ankara Protocol, under which it would open ports and airports to traffic from Cyprus, and to normalise relations with Cyprus is, as the Deputy, mentions, a serious concern. We are supportive of the UN-sponsored negotiations which are attempting to establish a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement but see no real advance in accession likely while this matter is unresolved.

Turkish internal reforms, which are required under the accession process, are happening, albeit more slowly of late due to upcoming parliamentary elections. However, I remain confident that the prospect of accession will continue to stimulate fundamental reform, to strengthen democracy and human rights, and to provoke further modernisation in that society.