Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas don Teachta as an ceist.

Our Department is the national competent authority with responsibility for export controls, including controls on defence-related exports and exports of dual-use goods. Controls on the export of dual-use items are administered by my Department, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council, which set up a Union regime for the control of exports, brokering, technical assistance, transit and transfer of dual-use items. Dual-use items are products and components, including software and technology, that can be used for both civil and military applications.

All export licence applications, including those indicating an end destination in Israel, are considered by my officials in accordance with criteria set out within the relevant dual-use and military EU and national regulations and with Ireland's international obligations and responsibilities as a member of non-proliferation regimes and export control arrangements. On receipt of an application for an export licence, my officials carry out an assessment which includes a series of checks to ensure, as far as possible, that the item to be exported will be used by the stated end user for the stated end use and will not be used for illicit purposes.

As part of their assessment, officials in my Department seek the views of officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs in respect of all applications for export licences, including those destined for Israeli end users. Both our own Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs review all dual-use export licence applications against the eight assessment criteria set out in the Council common position, including "Respect for human rights in the country of final destination as well as respect by that country of international humanitarian law" and "Internal situation in the country of final destination, as a function of the existence of tensions or armed conflicts".

Accordingly, when making their assessment of an application, my officials are furnished with the most up-to-date information, including consultations with technical experts where relevant, which they take into account in the final risk assessment to determine whether to grant an export licence.

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