Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is correct in referring to Ireland’s long track record in the area of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, dating back to the late 1950s, when Ireland’s efforts at the United Nations General Assembly led directly to the negotiation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). I addressed the ninth NPT Review Conference in New York on 27 April in order to highlight Ireland’s continuing strong commitment to nuclear disarmament, while also meeting with a number of delegations. At present, my Department’s officials are participating actively in the Review Conference and are pressing, with our like-minded partners in the New Agenda Coalition and in other groups, for an ambitious and forward-looking outcome.

The question of establishing a legal prohibition on the investment of public money in companies manufacturing nuclear weapons is being considered by my Department. The dual-use nature of nuclear technology means that it is important to distinguish between companies which are engaged in products which advance the peaceful uses of nuclear technology permitted under the Treaty and companies which facilitate production of nuclear weapons. My Department’s officials are consulting with other Governments, such as Norway and New Zealand, which have enacted legislation on this matter, and will consider on the basis of these consultations whether or how similar legislation could work in Ireland.

In the meantime, let me assure the Deputy that Ireland applies a stringent export controls regime under the responsibility of the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, which does not permit the export of Irish technology to any enterprise known or suspected to be connected with a programme for the development or delivery of any weapons of mass destruction (WMD), including nuclear weapons.