Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 May 2016
11. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for detailed information on the trade in goods and services between Ireland and Israel, including restrictions on such trade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11901/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraTrade in goods with Israel in 2015 amounted to €987 million, which consisted of exports of €871 million to Israel and imports of €117 million from Israel. I am rounding off these figures for the purpose of the reply. Trade in services, for which the most recent figures I have are for 2014, amounted to €649 million, of which Irish exports were €559 million and imports were €90 million. More detailed figures are available from the Central Statistics Office.
Restrictions on trade are decided at European Union level. There are no current restrictions on trade with Israel and no Irish Government has been in favour of such restrictions. Goods from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory are excluded from the normal favourable tariffs which apply to Israeli goods.
By any stretch of the imagination, Israel is not a normal state. Its very existence was born out of brutality and racism. As such, we should treat it as an abnormal state. People might be surprised by how much trade we do with Israel, particularly in the arms industry. Since 2005, Ireland has spent €15 million on military imports from Israel and has sold €6.5 million of military dual use hardware to the state of Israel since 2011. People might be surprised by that but what will shock them to their very being is that in 2014 in the war in Gaza, Israel murdered 1,700 civilians. Of those 1,700 civilians, 551 were children. How are we trading with a country like that?
The purchase of military equipment for the Defence Forces is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Defence. The normal criteria for such purposes include the effectiveness of the equipment for the protection of Irish troops and value for money. Of its nature, suitable military equipment is often only available from a small number of countries.
That concludes questions.
My question is next. Deputy Durkan broke two rules and let someone else in. He went back on Question No. 6 and let a different person take it, which we have not seen happen in the past five years. I am being denied my question.
I am told that Deputy Durkan sought the agreement of the House.
No one agreed.
We are moving on to Adjournment debates.
I should be allowed to reply.
Questions concluded at 4.45 p.m. I am governed by the rules of the House.
The rules of the House were broken to deny me speaking time. Will the Minister take my question?
Question Time is over; it concluded at 4.45 p.m. There is nothing I can do for the Deputy on this occasion.
So it is okay to break one rule and not break another one.
Deputy Durkan sought the agreement of the House and there were no objections.
He did not get it because nobody agreed. Nobody said they agreed.
Thank you, Deputy. We are moving on to Adjournment matters.
That is ridiculous.
