Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am aware that Norway has announced that it is suspending the export of weapons and ammunition to the United Arab Emirates, UAE. Ireland does not have an arms industry and therefore does not export arms to the UAE. There is no consensus at present at EU level on an arms embargo affecting the UAE.

On the problems posed by arms transfers to conflict regions generally, Ireland's efforts are concentrated on universalisation and implementation of the 2014 Arms Trade Treaty, ATT, which has been signed and ratified by all EU member states. In addition, the EU's Common Position on Arms Exports contains eight risk-assessment criteria that all EU countries must apply to licensing decisions for exports of military goods.

As with the Deputy, I am deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Yemen. The war, now in its third year, has triggered a humanitarian crisis and more than two thirds of the population are in need of urgent assistance. Ireland has been to the fore in raising human rights issues in Yemen at the Human Rights Council. Ireland has also provided over €11 million in humanitarian assistance to Yemen since 2015, and we are committed to maintaining that support.

Ireland has strong ties with the UAE, and within this relationship we are able to raise our concerns. My predecessor, Deputy Flanagan, raised concerns about the humanitarian situation in Yemen with the UAE Minister for Foreign Affairs, both during a visit to the UAE in November 2016 and later in Dublin in February 2017. Concerns about the conflict in Yemen have also been raised at official level with other regional actors, such as Iran.

At the Foreign Affairs Council in December 2017, I urged stronger EU action on humanitarian access in Yemen, which was raised in this House, and more robust political engagement by the EU. My officials and I will continue to raise my concerns on humanitarian access at EU and international levels, whenever opportunities arise. We also raised this at UN level.

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