The Tanaiste has said it is important that all countries behave responsibly with regard to selling products which are military in nature or which may have military applications.
Ms Mary Harney was responding to an Amnesty International report published today which said that arms export controls in the European Union are dangerously ineffective and that stringent new rules must be put in place to protect human rights abuses in the developing world.
The report, Undermining Global Security, notes that Irish armoured vehicle technology appears to have been licensed, via a company in Singapore, to Turkey, which has a history of human rights abuses. It also notes the involvement of an Irish-registered company with an international arms smuggling operation.
Ms Harney reaffirmed Ireland's commitment to an "open and transparent export licensing regime which fully conforms to best international standards".
She said that in the present international climate it is important "that all countries behave responsibly in terms of to whom they sell products which are military in nature or may have military applications".
"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," the Tanaiste said.
She said she had commissioned an independent report through Forfás which has just been received by her department and which will be published shortly.
"The report emphasises the need for a balanced approach going forward so that Ireland meets its EU and international obligations in full and equally ensures that it does not so tighten up procedures that it makes Ireland an unattractive location by international standards for mobile activity in legitimate industries, including the production and export of controlled dual-use goods for civilian purposes."
Ms Harney said one of the key recommendations in the report is the introduction of legislation to bring Ireland into line with international best practice and that it was her intention to give priority to the drafting of such legislation."
The export of so-called "dual-use" goods, which may, for example, be used in day-to-day technologies or also in by the police or military bodies, has been strongly criticised by Amnesty in the past for the lack of transparency about where the goods are ultimately employed. A number of Irish firms are heavily involved in the manufacture and export of such goods and components, including navigation systems for aircraft and technologies used to guide military tanks.