Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Defence initiated a tender competition in 2009 for the supply of Surveillance and Target Acquisition equipment for four out of a total of twenty-seven Light Tactical Armoured Vehicles being supplied by BAE Systems in South Africa. Following a detailed evaluation of tenders, the contract for the award of the equipment, with a value of €2.37m inclusive of VAT, was awarded to Elbit Systems Limited in Israel.

The four Surveillance and Target Acquisition Suites, for delivery this year, are required to enhance the capability of the Defence Forces to carry out overseas Peace Support Operations. They will be used as an information-gathering asset and will provide a means to enhance force protection and the safety of Irish troops whilst on such missions.

The events involving the storming of the Free Gaza movement flotilla and the boarding of the MV Rachel Corrie are matters of great concern to the Irish Government. These issues were taken up at the highest diplomatic level by my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

The issue of boycotts or sanctions against Israel or the cancelling of contracts with specific Israeli companies is not something that the Irish Government supports at this point in time. The position is that trade policy and market access are largely EU competencies and any restriction or ban on imports from Israel would have to be concerted at EU level. In that regard, there would be no possibility whatever of obtaining agreement at EU level for such a ban.