THE GOVERNMENT supports an independent, sovereign Palestinian state, Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin has said.

His remarks came as Fianna Fáil claimed Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore appeared to have changed the Labour Party position of supporting full Palestinian statehood.

Mr Howlin told the Dáil there was an expectation from New York, where the UN General Assembly was debating the Palestinian application for statehood, that “a position acceptable to all will emerge”.

Fianna Fáil deputy leader Éamon Ó Cuív asked for a “Yes” or “No” answer as to whether Ireland would support the applications. He had expressed disappointment that the United States had “apparently decided to veto” the Palestinian bid.

“It is even more disappointing that the Tánaiste appears to be supporting President Obama’s stance on the issue. He is saying there should be re-engagement between Palestine and Israel.”

Mr Ó Cuív said that when Mr Gilmore was appointed Tánaiste, “he said he would lead the charge in recognising Palestine’s full statehood”. The Fianna Fáil deputy leader asked the Minister to explain “why the Tánaiste has changed his thinking”.

Mr Howlin said however that the Government “supports an independent, sovereign Palestinian state. That view was reiterated by the Tánaiste . . . yesterday.”

Mr Gilmore is to address the assembly on Monday “when he will set out a comprehensive statement on Ireland’s position on this and other matters”.

He added that negotiations were ongoing following the Palestinian application for recognition as a state. “We are working in concert with our European colleagues to try to find unanimity in achieving this objective.”

Mr Ó Cuív asked if Ireland would be voting at the UN to recognise a Palestinian state.

“It would be inconsistent in the light of this country’s history if we were to fail to do so. When we were seeking international recognition of the Republic, certain people refused to recognise it.”

The Minister said the Tánaiste, “representing Ireland, is at the forefront in seeking to have agreement across all nations on the long-awaited international recognition of an independent and sovereign state of Palestine”. It was “too early to say what the outcome of the process would be”.