Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

First, I do not rely on newspaper reports. The report I received was from the Irish embassy, which had been in contact with the Turkish authorities who reported the view they had concluded based on the coast guard examination. If the Deputy has information and evidence other than that, we will look at it. This is my third time to repeat that and if it transpires that there was sabotage, we will take a serious view of that.

Second, if I had not raised at all with the Israeli authorities concerns about the safety of the people intending to travel in the flotilla, I would happily say that the Deputy had grounds for criticism of the Government. However, on two occasions I made clear directly to the Israeli authorities that we were concerned about the safety of Irish people in the flotilla and what we expected by way of response, which confirmed a view that was pursued through diplomatic channels. The Government has been actively engaged for a long time in seeking a just solution to the Middle East conflict and in respect of the hugely difficult conditions that the Palestinian people have to live under.

It would serve that cause and, ultimately, the Palestinian people better if, occasionally, the Deputy expressed a little support in the House for the effort the Government is making in this regard rather than making wild and unsubstantiated allegations of collusion with this, that and the other one.

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