Campaigners call for closure of Collins Aerospace
By Finnian Cox
Yesterday evening saw the latest protest take place outside Collins Aerospace on Penrose Wharf in response to the company’s alleged role in weapons manufacturing.
Action Against War, Cork Neutrality League and the Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign (CPSC) held the protest demanding the closure of the company to protect Irish neutrality.
They cited Collins’ contributions to the design of a new helicopter for NATO and their status as a subsidiary of RTX, one of the world’s largest defence and aerospace businesses.
Collins Aerospace was established in Cork in 2010 and is the Irish subsidiary of multinational aerospace firm RTX.
RTX Corporation was formerly known as Raytheon Technologies.
The multinational rebranded in June 2023 with some of its products used by the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza.
However a spokesperson for Collins Aerospace has previously denied that any of the systems or equipment used in Cork contribute to weaponry sold by RTX to Israel, describing it as a commercial aerospace business.
Dominic Carroll, a spokesperson for Action Against War described RTX as war profiteers, citing their recent increases in profits and share prices since the war began.
“We’re demanding that the Government closes down Ireland’s military-industrial complex and forces academic institutions, such as the Tyndall Institute in Cork, to break their links with the arms industry,” he added.
“Collins Aerospace doesn’t deny that it’s delivering digital systems for the connected airspace and battle space and collaborating with customers and partners across Raytheon Technologies – that’s exactly how it describes its operations on its own website.”
The campaign groups are also calling for a stop to exporting licenses for dual use products, which refers to products that could be used both for civilian and military purposes.
According to studies by Uplift, an Irish campaign group, dual use trade accounts for 1.8% of EU trade with Israel, however in Ireland it amounts to 13.5%.
The campaigners said they were also protesting the Irish Government’s deals with Israeli weapons manufacturers such as Elbit Systems, and Aeronautics Defence Industries, who the Government have purchased drones from in the past.
The protest was the latest by the coalition of organisations, with a similar one taking place in September, which saw symbolic ‘blood bombs’ hurled at the company’s Cork premises on the Lower Glanmire Road.