Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I reiterate that I will ask the Department, insofar as it can, to furnish the Deputy with much greater detail on the refusal I indicated and the reasons for it. My officials seek real-time geopolitical observations from the Department of foreign affairs in respect of all applications, and those views inform the final decision to grant or deny a licence. The assessment process is rigorous. The officials carry out a series of checks to ensure, insofar as they can, that the item to be exported will be used by the stated end user for the stated end purpose and will not be used or diverted for any other purpose. Ireland remains firmly committed to supporting open, free and responsible trade within a multilateral rules-based international system while ensuring global security and humanitarian concerns are not compromised. Strong export controls are essential to preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, protecting regional security and stability, combating terrorism and protecting human rights.

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