Controls on exports to South Africa
De Rossa asked how Ireland prevents exported computer and electronic equipment from reaching South African security forces and raised the Anti-Apartheid Movement’s proposals. Barry said exporters and buyers must assure the Department that the equipment will not be used or sold to those forces.
Would the Minister specify precisely the steps being taken to ensure that the computer and electronic equipment being exported from Ireland will not be used by the South African security forces? Will he accept that the type of equipment being exported is a key element in South Africa's operation of its pass laws? Would he indicate whether the Government have considered the ten point programme which the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement presented to his Department last June? Have steps been taken to pursue any of these ten points?
Comment on this
In regard to the first point, the Department of Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism seek an assurance from people exporting to South Africa that such equipment would not be used by the security forces in South Africa, and the Department seek an assurance from the people buying the equipment and sending it that it will not be used by or sold to the security forces in that country. We have no reason to believe that that condition is not adhered to. The Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement submitted a programme to my Department four or five months ago and, as I said here and in the Seanad on a number of occasions, the programme contains many good points, but our most effective action can be in partnership with our colleagues in the EC and in the UN. We have been working effectively there.