Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Our view is very clear. Any of the measures used to combat terrorism must comply with international law, particularly the laws on armed conflict and human rights. Our view on this is well-known to the United States, among others.

On the possible banning of drones, I draw the Deputy's attention to a recent statement by the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which stated:

Under international humanitarian law ... drones are not expressly prohibited, nor are they considered to be inherently indiscriminate or perfidious. In this respect, they are no different from weapons launched from manned aircraft such as helicopters or other combat aircraft.

While attention has tended to focus on the use of armed drones for combat operations, there are a considerable number of other military and civilian uses for UAVs, unmanned aerial vehicles. Many military UAVs are not equipped with weapons and are used for reconnaissance purposes. I do not see a prospect of an agreement to ban the use of UAVs in their totality or for specifically military purposes.

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