Written answers
Tuesday, 18 June 2013
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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62. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will spearhead an internationl campaign to ban the use of drones. [28748/13]
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (commonly referred to as “drones”) are used for both civilian and military purposes. Their use in armed conflict is subject to international humanitarian law. This sets specific requirements in relation to the use of force in armed conflict, including the principles of necessity, proportionality and distinction. I am deeply concerned about any indiscriminate use of UAVs, which would clearly be contrary to international law, and by instances where innocent civilians have been killed by attacks using UAVs. However, I see no prospect of an agreement to ban the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, either in their totality or for specifically military purposes.
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