The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney, has promised to introduce as a matter of "priority" new legislation controlling the export of arms and weapons components from Ireland, write Joe Humphreys and Jamie Smyth.
Speaking after the publication yesterday of a report by Amnesty International into the extent of the domestic arms trade, Ms Harney said: "Ireland is a long- standing proponent of non-proliferation of weapons and as such is keen to meet in full all international, legal and political commitments to control and monitor relevant exports from Ireland."
Mr Jim Loughran, campaigns manager with Amnesty International, said that while he welcomed the Tánaiste's comments, "we have heard the rhetoric before. Now is time for action".
As well as reviewing domestic controls, Mr Loughran said the Government should push for a stronger EU code of practice on arms trading, as well as the establishment of an international arms trade treaty regulating both "illicit" and "legitimate" weapons trades.
The Amnesty report estimated that since 1997 Ireland had exported €240 million worth of military goods, and €24 billion worth of goods with dual-use in military and civilian areas.
Amnesty said it found it difficult to reconcile the Government's claims that all dual-use export licences had been granted solely for civilian end-use when a number of Irish-based companies had recently trumpeted successes in obtaining defence-related contracts.
One firm cited in the report was Limerick-based Analog Devices, whose digital signalling components have reportedly been used in the production of military systems.
A spokesman for the company said its "thousands" of products had multiple applications, some of them military but the "majority" civilian.
Amnesty said Xilinx manufactured products were incorporated "into a wide range of military and aerospace systems including the Hellfire missile, Tomahawk missile, Apache helicopter and F-16 fighter." Xilinx declined to comment yesterday.
Iona Technologies, one of Ireland's biggest technology firms, was accused of producing software that was "being used in the firing mechanism for Tomahawk cruise missiles and by the US Army Tank Command for simulation research into battlefield exercises".
However, Iona said yesterday it did not produce any software designed specially for military use. Rather, it said, it produces a standard range of software products that are used by companies in all areas of industry to integrate complex systems that manage large volumes of data and information.
Meanwhile, Ms Harney confirmed she had received an independently commissioned report into the issue which, she said, would be published shortly.
The Irish Times has learnt that the report not only recommends the introduction of legislation to control military exports, including arms brokering, but it also calls for improved enforcement mechanisms and greater co-operation between the Minister's Department and other State agencies.