Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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9. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of and value related to dual-use export licences granted to end users based in Israel, by quarter, since Q3 2023; and his engagements with Cabinet colleagues in relation to such. [6708/25]

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I would also like to congratulate the new Ministers, especially the Minister of State, Niamh Smyth, from my constituency. Well done and congratulations to you all.

Will the Minister outline the total number and value of goods and services with military applications that have been sanctioned with Israel since the onset of its genocide in Palestine?

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I congratulate Deputy Bennett. It is lovely to say "Deputy Bennett", having worked with her and known her well in Monaghan County Council. I am sure they are all incredibly proud of her down there. Well done.

My Department is the national competent authority with responsibility for export controls, including controls on defence-related exports and export 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 setting up a Union regime for the control of exports, brokering, technical assistance, transit and transfer of dual-use items.

In 2023, there were seven licences issued with an end destination of Israel with a total maximum value of €1.14 million in quarter three and three licences were issued with a total value of €31.24 million in quarter four. In 2024, there were seven licences issued with a total value of €1.18 million in quarter one, ten licences with a total value of €20.59 million issued in quarter two, six licences issued with a total value of €8.57 million in quarter three and six licences issued with a total value of €33.93 million in quarter four.

So far in quarter one 2025, three licences have been issued with a total value of just under €427,000. The bulk of dual-use exports from Ireland, including those to Israel, are mainstream business ICT products, both hardware and software, such as networking, data storage and cybersecurity, etc. They are categorised as dual-use items as a consequence of the fact that they incorporate strong encryption for ICT security purposes.

My officials carry out an assessment of all applications, 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 illegal purposes.

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I understand the Department's position is that the officials provide a thorough risk-assessment to ensure that, in the Minister of State's own words, as far as possible, items are only used for their stated purpose. The Government has intervened in a case before the International Court of Justice where Israel is on trial for the crime of genocide. The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Fine Gael Party leader, has referenced revenge, deliberate starvation and war crimes committed by Israel. Does the Minister of State not believe it would be prudent for her to have responsibility for ensuring Ireland is certain we do not export any component that could be used in committing war crimes against Palestinian civilians?

At this time, when the House has rightly named Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide, and when the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs speaks of Israeli war crimes, does the Minister of State, with certainty within her powers, believe "as far as possible" is an acceptable standard?

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I assure the Deputy, even though I am only in the Department for a couple of weeks, that, working with the Minister, Deputy Burke, we are sure and we have very strong controls in place. As part of their assessment, my officials seek the views of the Department of Foreign Affairs in respect of all applications for export licences, including those with the end destination of Israel. Both my 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.

If there are any concerns that the goods exported will not be used for the end use or by the specified end user as detailed in the application or if the exporter does not provide enough information on the intended end-use for my officials to make an informed decision, the application for a licence is denied. In applying any export controls in a robust and transparent way, my Department ensures that legitimate business transactions by reputable Irish traders are not damaged in any way while also ensuring that exports of controlled goods are thoroughly risk-assessed in that context of ongoing conflicts, diversion of goods and humanitarian considerations.

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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In 2022, Ireland's dual-use exports to Israel amounted to €10.7 million, yet in the first eight months of the genocide, those exports ballooned to €32.1 million. Now, the Minister of State tells us that over the period of the genocide, seven licences have been approved from Ireland. At a time when Israel's economy is struggling, does the Minister of State not find this in any way suspect? What evaluations were carried out on risk of diversion or undesirable use of these exports and what were the findings? How many licences has the Department of Foreign Affairs expressed reservations on? How many have been refused?

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I tabled a very similar question that is further down the Question Paper. I was taken unawares as the questions were not grouped. That is the Department's decision, but the two questions are on the exact same issue.

I have the most serious concerns about the increase, with seven times the amount of exports within a year. Could we get some explanation for that? How are the decisions made? Which licenses were refused? On what basis were they refused? Were licences refused in respect of exports to Israel? We are told about the ones that were given and we know they have increased exponentially, but what is the breakdown? How are the decisions made?

We are reassured that the decision is made in a robust manner. I have been here since 2016; I do not take reassurances. I certainly do not take them at face value when it comes to what Israel is doing in Palestine. The time of reassurance has gone. We need to know exactly how the decisions are made and how they are refused.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputies for their questions. They are very legitimate questions to ask. I am assured by the Departments - our own Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs - that they do a really robust risk assessment around those applications. If the officials are not confident or have any question marks over them, they refuse those licences.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Does the Minister of State have details on how many have been refused?

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I do not but I will get that for the Deputy. I will get a detailed written reply on the issues the Deputies have raised. In fact, I might ask the Department to have a conversation with the Deputies on the legitimate questions they have raised today.