Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senators for partaking in the debate. I listened intently to the points made and questions asked. There will be an opportunity to go into them in greater detail on Committee Stage.

Senator Coghlan asked about monitoring and transparency. Each year, an annual report must be laid before the Oireachtas. We will have an opportunity to review it and Members may raise then any questions they have.

End-use monitoring is important, although it is not easy to see everything that happens at the end. Everything that can be done will be done to collate information from colleagues in Europe and further afield. The sharing of information on end users of potential concern is a strong component of preventative action by the European Union and the international export control regimes. Where there is any reason to doubt the bona fides of the end users, we simply deny an export licence. We also deny export licences where we have any reason to believe there is a risk of diversion of goods to an end use or end user other than that stated on the licence application.

There is a code of conduct on arms exports that accords with criterion 7 of the European Union Code of Conduct on Arms Exports. This code binds us to take into account such criteria as the existence of internal conflicts, regional peace and security and respect for human rights when considering whether to permit the export of controlled goods. There is also a responsibility on the exporting companies to ensure their products are not used for nefarious purposes. Close co-operation exists between the EU member states and like-minded countries in the international export control regime. We do not operate in isolation.

Senator Leyden asked about mines. Most of the equipment we export is for mine clearing and mine sweeping, so even though the equipment may end up in a war zone, it is used for the good.