Is Ireland funding the military adventures of its European neighbours?

Fast-growing Irish defence industry is creating jobs but provoking human rights concerns

Conor Gallagher
A robot, developed by Remada Technology in Cork, was used to inspect the Douglas Shopping Centre in the county after it was gutted by fire in 2019. File photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

A robot, developed by Remada Technology in Cork, was used to inspect the Douglas Shopping Centre in the county after it was gutted by fire in 2019. File photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

There is little in VRAI’s small Dublin office to suggest it makes military tools. An electric bicycle is parked in the corner, there are croissants on the table and Lego models arranged on shelves.

The company has “three bottom lines”, a staff member explains. “When we’re doing business, we’re not only making decisions based on what’s going to make the biggest profit. We’re also making decisions that means what’s the right thing to do by people and what’s the right thing to do by the planet.”

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