Irish firms exported Eur 34 million worth of military equipment last year to states such as Turkey, Vietnam, South Africa and Macedonia, Government figures show.

But companies based in the Republic are probably exporting hundreds of millions of euros worth of software and components used by military forces.

The Government does not publish statistics on the value of these dual-use goods, which include chemicals, software and components used by the military.

But US semiconductor manufacturing firms with Irish operations such as Intel, Xilinx and Analog Devices all produce microchips for the military. Indigenous technology firms such as Iona, ParthusCeva and Baltimore also develop technology that can be used by firms or organisations for a range of military uses.

A handful of firms based in the Republic exported the €34 million worth of military goods last year including Timoney Group and Adtec Teoranta, which are based in Navan. The Timoney Group designs armoured personnel carriers and is involved in a project to develop a new generation of unmanned military vehicles.

Other big military suppliers in the Republic include Moog, a Cork-based firm that develops technology for tanks and aircraft, and MineLab, an Australian firm based in Cork that develops mine-detecting equipment.

GEO Solutions, a Dublin-based firm that builds global positioning satellite software for military equipment, exports from the Republic.