Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 65: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation his views on the recent report by the European office of Amnesty International which suggests that a number of EU countries have been involved in the export of weapons of torture. [13348/10]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland is totally committed to taking persistent, determined and effective measures to eradicate torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including through our work in the EU and in other international fora such as the United Nations, the International Criminal Court, the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Ireland signed the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) on 28 September 1992, and ratified it on 11 April 2002. Ireland also signed and ratified the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment on 14 March 1988 and signed and ratified both Optional Protocols to the Convention on 10 April 1996.

Ireland's commitment to eradicating torture is further demonstrated through our support for the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture. In the past six years, Ireland has given more than €1 million to the Voluntary Fund. Council Regulation No 1236/2005 concerning trade in certain goods that could be used for capital punishment, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment is implemented in Ireland by means of Statutory Instrument No. 488 of 2005. This legislation prohibits the export of goods, which have no practical use other than for the purpose of capital punishment or for the purpose of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The Regulations list the products whose export or import is prohibited.

Under the Regulations an authorisation is required for any export of listed goods that could be used for the purpose of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. No export authorisation has been either sought from or granted by my Department for any of the products listed in the Regulations. Furthermore, to reinforce our serious concerns about any trade in these goods, Customs spot check for any trade flows of products that have similar trade identification codes to ensure, that as far as possible, there is no circumvention of these vital controls.

I invite the Deputy to let me know of any circumstances of which he may be aware concerning unauthorised trade in these products. An official of my Department has been in contact with Amnesty International to arrange a meeting to discuss the recent report.