State Papers: Government divided over purchase of military equipment from Israeli firms

Foreign affairs minister David Andrews wrote in 1992: 'The continuing political view is that Ireland is making an error of judgement in purchasing this equipment from Israel.' Picture: PA

Ireland’s purchase of military equipment from Israeli firms created divisions in the government in the early 1990s, with minister for foreign affairs David Andrews expressing “strong reservations” about what he claimed was “an error of judgement".

However, newly released State papers show Mr Andrews was overruled by the tánaiste and minister for defence John Wilson and the minister for finance Bertie Ahern, who both argued military equipment from Israel was cheaper than alternative sources.