Welcome Message from Ambassador John McCullagh
Welcome to the website of the Embassy of Ireland in Türkiye. On this website you will find further information about the Embassy: who we are, what we do and where to find us.
The Embassy opened in Ankara in 1999. Our primary engagement is with Türkiye but we are also accredited to Azerbaijan, Iran and Pakistan, on a non-resident basis. I am proud to work with a dedicated, committed team at the Embassy in Ankara.
Our overarching role is to strengthen ties and mutual understanding between Türkiye and Ireland. We work to promote Ireland’s values and to raise Ireland’s visibility as a place to visit and in which to study and do business. Working to increase our bilateral trade will be an important focus for the Embassy in the coming years.
Ireland and Türkiye are active on the international stage, including in particular in the United Nations. Our countries share a strong desire to help those most in need. Annual funding for Ireland’s international Irish Aid programme exceeds €1 billion. Türkiye plays an especially important role in supporting displaced persons, including those fleeing conflict in the region. Ireland has benefitted greatly from European Union membership. Turkiye is a candidate for membership and we support its European perspective.
Following the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic, international tourist traffic to Türkiye has grown strongly. Many thousands of Irish citizens visit Türkiye each year to experience the warm welcome, ancient culture and beauty of the country. Increasing numbers of Turkish citizens are travelling to Ireland. These visits have strengthened links between our two countries, located at opposite ends of Europe.
One of the Embassy’s main priorities is to provide consular services and emergency consular assistance to Irish citizens. We encourage all persons considering travelling to Türkiye or to the other countries to which the Embassy is accredited, to register with the Embassy. This will make it easier for us to contact you and to provide support in the event of an emergency. We also recommend that intending travellers take careful note of our travel advice. Latest travel alerts are available on social media at @dfatravelwise. Information on how to apply for a visa may also be of interest.
Further information about the Embassy’s activities is available on our social media: X, Facebook and Instagram.
Best wishes
John McCullagh
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John McCullagh is Ambassador of Ireland to Türkiye, based in the Irish Embassy in Ankara. The Embassy is also accredited to Azerbaijan, Iran and Pakistan.
John has previously served as Ambassador to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, based in Hanoi and as Ambassador to Tanzania, based in Dar-es-Salaam. Other postings include London, Brussels (EU) and Bonn. He has served in a wide variety of roles in DFA headquarters and has also worked in the Department of Finance, Department of Education and the Economic and Social Research Institute.