Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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202. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware that this year, 24 April 2015, the annual Armenian genocide remembrance day, marks the centenary of the genocide, and that no Irish Government has officially recognised the genocide; and his plans to officially recognise and remember the genocide this year. [15267/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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2015 marks the centenary of terrible events which resulted in the tragic deaths of very large numbers of the Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire. President Higgins recently expressed the sympathy of the Irish people for the enormous suffering of Armenians in that era to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. The Ambassador of Ireland to Armenia, John Biggar, will represent Ireland at the official centennial commemorations taking place in Yerevan, Armenia, on 24th April.

These tragic events continue to overshadow relations between Armenia and Turkey, and the two sides maintain sharply different historical interpretations of them. The Irish government has never taken a position on this issue, believing that it is not in a position to adjudicate on this contentious matter, involving the consideration of a number of legal issues and an assessment of the actions and intentions of many parties during that time.

In this centenary decade, when we hope commemorations in Ireland will increase mutual understanding, we would urge Armenia and Turkey to take advantage of any opportunity to progress reconciliation for the good of their people, the region, and their shared future.