Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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32. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence further to his announcement that the Defence Forces would not be procuring military equipment or defence equipment or contracts with Israel, the mechanism by which he is excluding Israeli companies; and the amount expended since January 2023 with any such companies. [42018/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The ICJ advisory opinion of 19 July 2024 has made it clear that all States must abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings with Israel concerning the occupied Palestinian territory that may entrench its unlawful presence there. In discussions in Brussels, the Government has called for the EU to take steps to prohibit that trade, and I have already taken action by instructing my Department that there must be no procurement of defensive equipment from Israel, based on the advisory opinion.

As I have previously outlined to the House, the principle of competitive tendering for Government contracts is used by the Department of Defence for the acquisition of defensive equipment for the Defence Forces. Central to those procurement procedures are EU law requirements that have to be complied with. This is to ensure fair competition, transparency and equal treatment between suppliers through the advertising of the tender competition on the e-Tenders or the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) tender platforms.

Directive 2009/81/EC sets out European rules for public procurement in the fields of defence and security, and applies in principle to all contracts for the procurement of military equipment, works and services as well as procurement of sensitive supplies, works and services for security purposes. This Directive allows for certain exclusions or restrictions to access to tender competitions by third country bidders, and my officials are examining the most appropriate mechanism in this regard to give effect to my instructions.

The value of goods or services purchased by the Defence Forces from Israeli companies in respect of existing contracts since January 2023 is €904,519 There have been no new contracts awarded to Israeli companies since before that date.