Exporters with military links face audits

GOVERNMENT authorities will be given the power to inspect and audit companies which export military-related equipment under new laws to be introduced later this year.

The legislation is being introduced after a Government report last year found numerous loopholes and inadequacies in the current system for controlling military-related exports from Ireland.

According to the latest figures, Ireland has exported over €26 billion in military-related products to dozens of countries since the coalition Government first came to power in 1997.

However, a Forfas report into the trade, which was commissioned by the Government last year, recommended that export controls be tightened to ensure arms from Ireland were not ending up being used against civilians in countries with poor human rights records.

Chief among the report's concerns was that brokering (the facilitation of arms deals) is not currently illegal in Ireland while problems with lack of transparency were also highlighted.

However, trade and commerce minister Michael Ahern yesterday confirmed the Government has approved the drafting of new legislation which will ban brokering and tighten up current export control systems.

Mr Ahern also said existing legislation will be updated to provide for increased penalties for non-compliance and to give authorities the statutory right to inspect and audit companies that export military goods.

Promising the new bill later this year, Mr Ahern said: "The introduction of this new legislation ensures that Ireland meets its EU and international obligations in full and equally ensures that its procedures are not overly restrictive as to make Ireland an unattractive location by international standards for mobile activity in legitimate industries."

The move was last night welcomed by Amnesty International which has campaigned for years for new measures to be introduced.

Amnesty arms trade expert Jim Loughran called for the legislation to ensure any ban on brokering could apply extra-territorially and not just within Ireland.

He also criticised apparent omissions in the new proposed laws. "There is no indication whatsoever that they intend to control licensed production or to take steps to monitor the end use of exports abroad.

"We would hope the legislation would address the lack of transparency in the presentation of information and the lack of political scrutiny," he said.