Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)

I thank the Minister of State for her good wishes.

Exports of dual-use goods have increased phenomenally, which might be good or bad depending on the oversight arrangements we have. In 2023, the value of dual-use exports to Israel spiked to nearly seven times what it was in the previous year. It came down slightly but remained high in 2024. The value of dual-use goods exported in 2022 was €10.7 million. In 2023, as I indicated, it was €70.4 million, and, in 2024, it was €64.3 million. On the figures the Minister of State gave - I do not have the reply in front of me - there seems to be a significant reduction in that figure, which is welcome in a sense. I will look at the figures carefully.

The Minister of State said one application was refused. Will she clarify, as I did not quite catch it, the basis on which it was refused? Respect for human rights and international humanitarian law in the destination country is one of the criteria - I will come back to the others - that were spelled out by the former Minister, Simon Coveney.

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