Written answers

Tuesday, 12 July 2011

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Foreign Conflicts

10:00 pm

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 83: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, following his response to my recent question regarding the allegations that the Irish aid boat to Gaza, the MV [i]Saoirse[/i], had been sabotaged while docked in Turkey, where he outlined his understanding that a spokesperson for the Turkish Foreign Ministry has indicated that the authorities, who have inspected the vessel, do not believe that sabotage took place, if he will now seek a report from the Turkish authorities outlining in detail the reasons they believe sabotage did not take place, in view of the serious implications of the sabotage allegations and the consequent reckless endangerment of the lives of Irish citizens. [20059/11]

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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In my earlier reply to the Deputy, I stated that, if the authorities in Turkey concluded that the Saoirse had been sabotaged, I would regard this as a matter of serious concern. That remains my position. I also stated that a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman had indicated that the Turkish authorities did not consider that sabotage had taken place. Our Embassy in Ankara had been in contact with the local authorities in the port when the reports of damage to the Saoirse were received.

The local authorities concerned indicated that the persons who reported the damage gave it as their opinion that sabotage was involved. However, the local coastguard considered that the damage to the vessel they were shown was likely to have resulted from a collision with an object at sea. They expressed the view that it would be difficult for a person in the water to have inflicted damage of that type to a moored vessel, particularly without being detected by those on board or in the harbour. They also noted that an intending saboteur could have disabled the propeller far more easily than by inflicting the type of damage incurred by the Saoirse. I have no grounds on which to dispute these views or to demand a further investigation.

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