February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Iona, one of Ireland’s most successful Celtic tiger companies, has never been granted the required military or dual-use license by the government. Its software is known to be used in the firing of Tomahawk cruise missiles and also in the testing and maintaining of nuclear weapons.
Iona is an indigenous company, grown from a Trinity College research group.
If the company is found in breach of the rules, directors could face prison sentences of 12 months and fines up to euro 1,900.
Hundreds of cruise missiles have been fired by U.S. and British forces into Iraq already during this conflict.
The missiles are designed to fly at extremely low altitudes at high subsonic speeds and are piloted over an evasive route by several mission-tailored guidance systems. Each missile has a 1,000-pound bomb.
But an Iona spokesperson said Sunday that “the assessment is that our dual-use item products fall within a criteria for exemption of licensing requirements.”
Tanaiste Mary Harney recently said that while Ireland has no arms industry, dual-use products must be carefully regulated.
“My department has asked Forf