Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Feb 2002

Vol. 547 No. 3

Written Answers. - Export Licences.

Michael D. Higgins

Ceist:

60 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the military items which require an export licence under the Control of Export Order, 2000; the number of licences and the items in respect of which they were issued during 2001; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3325/02]

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Mr. T. Kitt)

A description of military items that require an export licence is set out in detail in the Schedule to the Control of Exports Order, 2000. The military items subject to export control are categorised under the following headings:

Heading	Description
ML1	Small arms, automatic weapons and accessories
ML2	Large calibre armament or weapons, projectors and accessories
ML3	Ammunition and specially designed components for weapons specified in ML1, ML2 or ML12.
ML4	Bombs, torpedoes, mines, rockets, missiles, and related equipment and accessories
ML5	Fire control and related alerting and warning equipment and related systems, test and alignment and countermeasure equipment
ML6	Ground vehicles and components
ML7	Chemical or biological toxic agents, “tear gases”, radioactive materials, related equipment, components, materials and technology
ML8	Military explosives and fuels
ML9	Vessels of war, special naval equipment and accessories
ML10	Military aircraft, unmanned airborne vehicles, aeroengines and aircraft equipment, related equipment and components
ML11	Electronic equipment, not specified elsewhere on the Schedule
ML12	High-velocity, kinetic-energy weapon systems and related equipment
ML13	Armoured or protective equipment and constructions and components
ML14	Specialised equipment for military training or for simulating military scenarios and components
ML15	Imaging or countermeasure equipment

Heading	Description
ML16	Forgings, casting and other unfinished products
ML17	Miscellaneous equipment, materials and libraries
ML18	Equipment and technology for the production of products in the Schedule
ML19	Directed energy weapon systems, related or countermeasure equipment and test models
ML20	Cryogenic and “superconductive” equipment
ML21	Security, including personal security, and paramilitary equipment
ML22	Software
ML23	Technology for the development, production or use of products referred to in the Schedule.

My Department issued 59 military export licences in 2001. The details are as follows:

ML1A: 16 licences as follows:

7 in respect of privately owned shotguns and rifles to the United States

2 in respect of privately owned shotguns to Australia

1 in respect of a privately owned rifle to New Zealand

4 in respect of rifles, shotguns and gas launchers to Canada to be used in the filming of a motion picture.

1 in respect of military weapons, parts and small arms for use by the Irish Defence Forces in Yugoslavia

1 in respect of deactivated vintage World War Two guns to the UK

ML4A: 5 licences as follows:

3 in respect of industrial explosives to Northern Ireland

2 in respect of industrial detonators to Sweden

ML4B: 11 exports:

10 in respect of handheld de-mining equipment to: Laos, the Lebanon, Zambia, Croatia, Vietnam, Jordan, Canada, Belarus, Azerbaijan, and Rwanda.

1 in respect of handling equipment for the production of military equipment to Northern Ireland.

ML5A: 20 Licences as follows:

6 in respect of fire control equipment to Germany

5 in respect of fire control equipment to Sweden

3 in respect of fire control equipment to Finland

2 in respect of fire control equipment to Switzerland

1 in respect of fire control equipment to Australia

1 in respect of fire control equipment to Norway

1 in respect of fire control equipment to Australia

1 in respect of fire control equipment to the US.

ML6: 5 licences as follows:

1 in respect of military vehicles to Yugoslavia for the use of the Irish Defence Forces

2 in respect of military vehicles to the UK for testing and promotion

1 in respect of a military vehicle to Singapore for display and evaluation

1 in respect of military vehicle components to Singapore.

ML23: 3 licences as follows:

1 in respect of technology relating to the production of military vehicles to Poland

1 in respect of technology relating to fire control equipment to the United States

1 in respect of technology relating to fire control equipment to Switzerland