Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 22 Mar 1995

Vol. 450 No. 8

Written Answers. - Export and Import Controls.

Kathleen Lynch

Question:

191 Kathleen Lynch asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that instruments of torture, armaments, landmines or their components may be assembled in Ireland; the plans, if any, he has to introduce end-user certificates to regulate the export of such products in view of the EU regulation on dual-use goods agreed in December 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6213/95]

Minister for Tourism and Trade (Mr. E. Kenny)

My Department's functions relate to export and import controls on goods rather than their assembly in Ireland.

Armaments, landmines and other military items can only be exported from Ireland in accordance with a licence issued by my Department under the Control of Exports Act, 1983, and orders made thereunder. As a matter of policy, end-use certificates are always required before a licence application to export such a product can be processed.

The recent EU regulation and Council decision regarding export controls on dual-use goods is also implemented by my Department. This legislation is intended to control exports of dual-use goods which may be used in the development or production of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons of mass destruction. Details of end-use for all licensed dual-use exports must be supplied to my Department as part of this control system. My Department, under the regulation, also reserves the right to insist on presentation of a formal end-use certificate in circumstances where it has grounds to believe that the proposed dual-use export may be intended for use in the development of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.