Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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143. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 258 of 18 September 2024, the number of dual use export licences he has granted in the past 24 months to states currently answering a case under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; the number he has granted in the same period issued regarding persons or companies based in a territory which the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has sought arrest warrants for the civil and military leadership of; if he is aware of the recent terrorist attack on Lebanon; if he is confident that the 'as sure as possible' checks his Department carry's out are sufficient to ensure that Ireland is not in breach of its international obligations; if he will suspend the issuance of all dual use export licences in such instances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38829/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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My Department is the National Competent Authority with responsibility for Export Controls, including Controls on defence-related exports and exports of Dual-Use goods. Controls on the export of Dual-use items are administered by my Department, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up a Union regime for the control of exports, brokering, technical assistance, transit and transfer of dual-use items. The EU dual-use regulation has direct effect across the EU.

My Department takes Ireland’s international obligations very seriously and all licences are processed in line with these obligations. All applications for dual-use licences are reviewed against the eight assessment criteria set out in Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP. Applications are also reviewed against any EU Restrictive Measures, such as trade sanctions or arms embargoes, that may be in place in respect of the destination country.

If there are any concerns that the goods being exported will be used for a military end-use or if the exporter does not provide enough information on the intended end-use for my officials to make an informed decision, the application for a licence is denied. Investigations are undertaken where there is a potential breach of the Dual Use Regulation.

71 Individual dual-use export licences have been issued in respect of exports to States currently answering a case under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide since September 2022. 102 Individual dual-use export licences have been issued in the same period in respect of exports to territories which the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has sought arrest warrants for the civil and military leadership of.

The Government is deeply concerned about the escalating violence in the Middle East. Hezbollah has long been a malign actor in the region, but massive airstrikes on densely populated areas are causing indiscriminate death and destruction in Lebanon. Events over the weekend, including the killing of Hezbollah’s Secretary General Nasrallah, shows that a wider conflict remains a possibility, and this would be disastrous for all the peoples of the region. Everything possible must be done to avoid this. Ireland supports all efforts to achieve a ceasefire across the Israel - Lebanon border to allow for a return to diplomacy and a negotiated end to violence by both sides.