Irish firms are licensing technology to overseas companies that could be used to violate human rights abroad because of flaws in export controls, a report published today by Amnesty International will claim.
Undermining Global Security - The European Union's Arms Exports, highlights several Irish firms that are involved in the development of components used in military equipment.
Amnesty International argues that weak export laws in the Republic mean the Government cannot monitor whether such export items have been misused for human rights violations. It also criticises a lack of political will from the Irish Government to tackle the issue.
The report highlights a lack of transparency at Government level about military exports and criticises its failure to outlaw "arms brokering" - where firms trade military goods between two states, often outside the EU.
The Europe-wide study, which includes a 20-page appendix specifically on Ireland, calls on the Irish and Dutch governments to use their presidencies of the EU to strengthen an existing code of conduct on arms exports. It recommends implementing tighter controls on the export of components and so-called "dual use" goods that could contribute to human rights violations abroad.
Irish firms exported €4.5 billion "dual use" goods - products that have a military or civilian use - during 2002, the report states. The report also calls for the introduction of controls on private military, security services and mercenaries, which often operate outside the normal criminal justice system.