Good Afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen,

As President of Ireland I am delighted to receive so many opportunities to meet and engage with Irish communities all over the world. Today is such an occasion and it is a pleasure to see so many of you here in Istanbul. May I say a special word of welcome and thanks to those of you who have travelled from other parts of Turkey to join us here today.

While the Irish community in Turkey is a small one, it is also an active and well integrated one,…