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Ireland heavily involved in the obscene international arms trade

Issued : Monday 9 January, 2006

Labour Party President and Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Michael D Higgins TD, has said that under Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats Ireland has become more heavily involved in the international arms trade, following revelations that military equipment sales from Ireland have topped €300 million since they came to power.

Deputy Higgins commented, “The Government has repeatedly told the public in recent years that Ireland is not a producer of arms in the normal international sense. How can such a claim stack-up when Irish-based companies exported €30 million worth of military equipment in 2005?

“Previously, Ireland had a reputation of advocating international disarmament, but that status has been shattered by these figures. Furthermore, the European Union, without any objections from Ireland, has become one of the largest sources of armaments sales in the world.

“The Government has consistently ignored the advice of independent consultants, Amnesty International, and a report by Forfas report two years ago commissioned by Tanaiste Mary Harney, that identified serious gaps in procedures for the monitoring and control of military exports from Ireland. Our control systems lag seriously behind those of major arms exporters such as the UK. The Government has consistently ignored warnings that this an incentive for British-based arms brokers to move to Ireland. Today’s figures demonstrate the consequences of choosing to disregard that advice.

“There is a need for a new legislative framework for the monitoring and control of military and dual-use exports. There must be clear guidelines for identification of all material and components. Irish manufactured equipment must not end up in the hands of undemocratic or repressive regimes, where they will be used against their own people.

“Ireland’s international reputation has already been damaged by the government’s support for the war on Iraq. Now, it seems, we are heavily involved in the obscenity that is the international arms trade.”