Lack of security vetting leaves firms ineligible for EU work

Irish companies are being denied the chance to win valuable EU contracts due to lack of security clearance.

Companies bidding for sensitive cyber security, aviation and space contracts need to have been vetted by a national intelligence agency, under EU tendering rules.

But there is no facility in place for Irish companies to get this designation because the country does not have a standalone national intelligence agency.

It would be possible to bring ...