Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the measures he has in place to ensure that components for weapons manufactured here do not get used in weapons manufactured in countries where EU arms exports bans apply, for example, in the case of components manufactured by a company (details supplied) in County Kerry which were found in an Iranian drone which landed in Sudan, both of which countries are subject to an EU arms export ban. [14206/13]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is responsible for issuing licenses, for exports of Dual Use items outside the EU, and certain military products both within and outside of the EU, in accordance with EU-wide export control regulations.

My Department is also responsible for implementing EU trade related sanctions and embargoes. Ireland fully subscribes to its international obligations in this regard.

From an export control perspective, my Department monitors trade flows to embargoed and sanctioned countries in close co-operation with Revenue’s Customs Service.

This co-operation with Customs is an essential aspect of the effective implementation of our export control regime and especially in connection with exports of controlled technology to sanctioned or embargoed countries.

In addition, prior to issuing any export licence for goods intended for a country where there is civil or military unrest, my Department consults with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It is important that the export of sensitive technology is properly controlled and the licensing procedures operated by my Department take into account Irish foreign policy considerations, the EU Common Position on Military Exports, international sanctions policies, as well as obligations stemming from Ireland’s membership of the international export control regimes.

As part of the licensing process my Department requires extensive information from companies including detailed information in respect of the end-use and the end-user of the product to ensure the ultimate use of a licensed export conforms with national and international law.

Furthermore, as part of wider outreach activities, my Department recently met with the industrial development agencies so that their officials who advise client companies on export opportunities can inform these companies of their responsibilities in relation to export controls and embargoes.

In relation to the specific instance raised by the Deputy, I am satisfied that the product involved was not an item covered by the EU’s military list.

I can assure the Deputy that the security, regional stability and human rights concerns which underpin export controls are of paramount importance to my Department. My Department takes its responsibilities in this regard very seriously.