Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 November 2015
75. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 6 of 25 June 2015, if he has been involved in any recent discussions at European Union level regarding the import and export of arms from Israel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41206/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have not been involved in any discussions at European Union level regarding the import or export of arms from Israel. I have previously outlined to the Deputy and the House the position with regard to the procurement of defensive equipment by the Department of Defence.
I have also explained the scale and type of such equipment that the Department has acquired from Israeli companies in recent years and the purpose of such acquisitions which is to afford the greatest possible force protection and operational effectiveness to Irish Defence Forces personnel particularly on overseas service.
The matter of barring Israeli companies from entering tender competitions for the provision of military goods would be akin to Ireland unilaterally placing an embargo on such goods from Israel and this raises, inter alia, serious implications for Irish foreign policy which are outside my remit as Minister for Defence. As the Deputy is aware, trade policy and market access are largely EU competencies and any restriction or ban on imports from any particular country would have to be concerted at EU level.
As I have said in the past, the manner in which the Department of Defence procures both goods and services remains constant with international best practice and is in line with EU and UN decisions on trade embargoes. I do not, therefore, envisage any change to our current procurement practices.
