RECENT COMMENTS by President Mary McAleese supporting Turkey’s European Union membership application have been described as “fundamentally flawed” by a Fine Gael TD.
Lucinda Creighton, a TD for Dublin South East, told a constituency meeting in Donnybrook last night that the support expressed by both Mrs McAleese and the Government for Turkish membership was misguided.
Mrs McAleese returned last week from a State visit to Turkey.
Ms Creighton, Fine Gael spokeswoman on European affairs, said Turkey was a much poorer country, with a GDP per capita less than half the EU average. She also argued that its huge population would affect the present delicate political balance of the EU, that it would lead to a new wave of emigration and that, geographically, Turkey could not be considered a European country.
“The reasons for opposing Turkish membership are manifold. The most obvious issue which is of grave concern is the capacity of the European Union to absorb a hugely populated country of 72 million people.
“Furthermore, the wave of emigration from Turkey to countries such as Ireland would put immense pressure on indigenous employment opportunities. At a time when unemployment in Ireland is verging on 500,000 people. . . the idea of a dramatic influx of low-paid, unskilled or semi-skilled immigrants is unthinkable.
“It is also fair to say that from a geographical perspective, Turkey cannot be considered to be a part of Europe.
“By allowing Turkey accede to the European Union, the floodgates would be opened up to countries such as Morocco, who have as legitimate and credible a claim to EU membership as Turkey,” she said.