Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 November 2023
246. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the Department of Foreign Affairs has raised any human rights or foreign policy concerns with his Department in relation to issuing of dual use export licences to Israel in the last five years, and the number of times such issues were raised by the Department per year in relation to Israeli exports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52118/23]
View answerMy Department is the National Competent Authority with responsibility for Export Controls, including Controls on defence-related exports and exports of Dual-Use goods. The Department operates Export Controls to the highest standards, in accordance with EU law and international best practice.
My Department administers Controls on the export of Dual-use items in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2021 setting up a Union regime for the control of exports, brokering, technical assistance, transit and transfer of dual-use items.
Dual-use items are products and components, including software and technology, that can be used for both civil and military applications. The bulk of Dual-use exports from Ireland are mainstream business ICT products, both hardware and software (networking, data storage, cybersecurity etc). They are categorised as Dual-use items as a consequence of fact that they incorporate strong encryption for ICT security purposes.
The Programme for Government contains a clear commitment to the promotion of Human Rights through business practices and in particular, to rigorously scrutinise all applications for export licences for Military equipment and Dual-use items.
In keeping with the commitment in the Programme for Government, all applications for export licences are rigorously scrutinised by my officials, on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with all relevant legislation, including EU sanctions.
My officials seek observations from the Department of Foreign Affairs on any human rights or foreign policy considerations that may arise with every proposed export. The Department of Foreign Affairs provides my Department with up to date geopolitical information that assists my officials in assessing applications for export licences.
The advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs gives due consideration to the Dual-use item in question, the end-user and end-use for the item, and has regard to the eight criteria for assessing licence applications set out in the European Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP defining common rules governing control of exports of military technology and equipment. Therefore, advice provided from the Department of Foreign Affairs in respect of every application include a view of any human rights or foreign policy considerations that are relevant to that export.
