Catherine Murphy
Question:24. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs for Foreign Affairs if he has spoken with the Turkish Ambassador to Ireland to date in 2023. [40121/23]
View answerWednesday, 20 September 2023
Questions (24)
Written answers
While I have not had an opportunity to officially meet with Ambassador Olcay to date in 2023, I can confirm that Ireland maintains positive bilateral relations with Türkiye across multiple layers of engagement.
In February, I spoke by telephone with then-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, Mevlüt Çavusoglu, following the devastating earthquakes in south-eastern Türkiye, in which so many tragically lost their lives. I expressed my heartfelt condolences to the people of Türkiye, and provided Minister Çavusoglu with an update on the €2 million of humanitarian support that Ireland had immediately mobilised in response to the disaster. Ireland’s total humanitarian contribution to the earthquake response in Türkiye and Syria was €10 million.
Both President Higgins and Minister of State Fleming visited the Turkish Embassy in Dublin, to sign the book of condolences, and met with Ambassador Olcay to share the sympathies of the Irish people.
In January, Minister of State Burke met with a visiting delegation from the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Türkiye. They had a wide ranging discussion covering Ireland-Türkiye bilateral relations, Presidential and parliamentary elections, Türkiye’s EU perspective and EU-Türkiye relations, human rights and the rule of law in Türkiye.
The Department of Foreign Affairs maintains regular contact with the Turkish Embassy in Dublin. Most recently, Ambassador Olcay met with senior officials from my Department on 13 July 2023, to discuss topical developments in Ireland-Türkiye bilateral relations and EU-Türkiye relations.
I look forward to having an introductory meeting with Türkiye’s newly appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hakan Fidan, in the near future. As I wrote in my letter of congratulations to Minister Fidan, I look forward to working with him to address some of the major global challenges that we collectively face.
As an EU candidate country, near neighbour, and influential regional power, it is important that we maintain positive relations with Türkiye, both bilaterally and as an EU Member State.