Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if, in view of the concern over the possible likelihood of an armed conflict between Israel and Iran, he shares the concerns of many of those who want to see a peaceful resolution to conflict in the Middle East, that the increased militarisation of the region is increasing the likelihood of this conflict; his views on whether the export of Dolphin Class military submarines by Germany to Israel possibly breaches Criterion Four of the EU rules governing the exports of military technology and equipment. [1657/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Government, along with its EU and other international partners, strongly supports the achievement through diplomatic negotiations of a solution to the major concerns which exist in relation to Iran's nuclear programme. It is deeply regrettable that, despite nine years of diplomatic efforts, Iran has so far been unwilling to engage with the necessary seriousness and commitment in negotiations on the issue. I hope very much that this will change and that Iran will work urgently with others to bring about the diplomatic solution to this crisis which is long overdue.

The Israeli Government has indicated publicly that it may feel obliged to take military action against the Iranian nuclear programme. It has said that it is prepared to allow time for diplomatic efforts to succeed but that time is not unlimited. I encourage Israel to recognize that a viable solution to this problem can only be achieved through diplomatic negotiations and that resorting to force would pose huge and incalculable risks for the entire region.

I have dealt with the issue of the supply by Germany of submarines to Israel in my reply to Question 9 (ref 44808/12) on 17 October last.

Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views that in the long term interest of peace in the region, Israel should urgently place its nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards as required by UN Security Council resolution 487, which was adopted unanimously on 19 June 1981 and endorsed by the UN General Assembly on 3 December 2012 by 174 votes to 6; and if has raised this matter with the Israeli authorities. [1659/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Ireland has for some time called upon Israel to accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) without further delay and to place all of its nuclear facilities under comprehensive International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards. We have repeatedly called for universality of the Treaty in national as well as EU statements, and also through our participation in the New Agenda Coalition. Ireland has also played an active role in promoting a Middle East free of all Weapons of Mass Destruction – nuclear, chemical and biological. We would see this as a priority objective, not just in terms of promoting longer term peace and stability in the region, but also in terms of protecting the NPT, with which Ireland is closely associated. The NPT is acknowledged as a cornerstone of the international non-proliferation regime and the essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. In 1995, the Treaty was extended indefinitely in a package of agreements that also included a Resolution on the Middle East which envisages a zone free of Weapons of Mass Destruction in the region. It is important for the Treaty that the Middle East resolution is fully implemented.

At the 2010 NPT Review Conference Ireland brokered agreement on some practical next steps towards a Middle East zone free of Weapons of Mass Destruction, including a Conference to be attended by all States of the region. This agreement represented the first real progress towards implementing the 1995 Resolution in the fifteen years since it had been agreed, and Ireland’s role in this has been acknowledged.

Israel has never officially declared itself to possess nuclear weapons and maintains a policy of opacity about its nuclear capabilities. It remains one of just three states not party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The Deputy can be assured that Ireland will continue to call on it and the two other states not party to accede to the Treaty as non-nuclear weapons states without delay and to conclude a full scope safeguards agreement with the IAEA. The Deputy can also be assured that universal adherence to, and full implementation of, the NPT will remain key foreign policy objectives for the Government as we approach the next NPT Review Conference in 2015.