After failing to publish data on Irish companies granted licences for military exports to the US and Germany because of “a new IT system”, the Department of Enterprise has now confirmed the licences increased by tens of millions of euros between 2024 and 2025.
It has granted licences for more than €16 million worth of exports to the US so far this year during the illegal war on Iran.
For all countries the total value of licences granted in 2024 was €183,463,945 and in 2025 it was €225,292,517.
The department didn’t publish country-by-country information on military export licenses in its most recently published Control of Exports Annual Report (2024) but released the data for 2024 to 2026 last week in response to a parliamentary question.
Irish companies exporting to Germany received €59.17 million in military export licences in 2024, increasing to €71.63 million in 2025, while licences for companies exporting to the US totalled €84.34 million in 2024 and €87.62 million in 2025.
‘Where known’
Government grants these military licences to companies looking to export military or dual-use equipment.
So far in 2026, €1.03 million and €16.56 million worth of licenses have been granted to companies exporting to the US and Germany..
A spokesperson said the introduction of the Control of Exports Act 2023 and "the simultaneous implementation of a new IT system” impacted the data’s publication.
The department said the issues have since been resolved and more comprehensive information will appear in its forthcoming annual report, expected before the summer recess.
The published data records increases in licences not just for the US and Germany but also for the Netherlands, from three licences worth €1.27 million in 2024 to 48 licences worth €26.77 million in 2025.
Australia also recorded an increase, from €2.3 million in 2024 to €16.6 million in 2025 while licences to Ukraine totalled €1.1 million in 2025, with a further €495,000 granted in the first months of 2026. The United Arab Emirates also received a military export licence from Ireland in 2025 worth €685,000.
The Department of Enterprise spokesperson told The Ditch that exporters must provide end-user and end-use details for a military export licence to be processed.
When goods sent from Ireland are incorporated into another product exported again however companies are only requested to provide details “where known”.
Asked whether exports to the US and Germany could end up in Israel the department said it seeks "additional information from the exporter, including clarification on the ultimate end-use of any product incorporating items exported from Ireland" if concerned about a product.
It added that all authorisation holders are subject to regular audits assessing "compliance with the conditions of export licences granted, including adherence to declared end-use and end-user information”.
Enterprise minister Peter Burke has said he intends to deregulate restrictions on Irish enterprises getting more involved in the defence industry, calling current rules “outdated” last month.
