asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism if he will give details of the agreement to be renewed on 20 May 1985 between the IIRS and the United States Department of Defense.
Written Answers. - IIRS/US Department of Defense Agreement.
520.
To facilitate access to the US market of Irish manufactured products — initially in the electronics area — an agreement was concluded on 8 March 1983 between the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards (IIRS) and the United States Department of Defense. The agreement provides that, for a two year period up to 20 May 1985, each party to the agreement is permitted to certify conformity to agreed product standard specifications. The US Department of Defense is the US body which establishes such standards.
The parties have agreed to extend the agreement, without amendment, for a further period of at least one year. To date certification has been provided for products of one Irish manufacturer. As I stated on 5 July 1983 in reply to a previous question on the subject, the agreement is of an administrative and technical character. It does not involve any defence or military commitments and essentially it safeguards jobs in Irish industry, particularly in the advanced technological area.