Ireland to back EU alumina sanctions on Russia if “evidence” emerges, State Minister says

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As the push for halting Aughinish Alumina exports to Russia intensifies with the latest urge from Estonia, Ireland’s Minister of State, Seán Canney, indicated his support for potential EU sanctions, provided the ongoing investigation proves Russia’s use of alumina in military and industrial capabilities is legitimate. 

Minister Canney stated that the issue was under active examination and asserted the State would take necessary action if “reliable and hard evidence” from the ongoing investigation by the Department of Enterprise were brought to the table within the next two weeks.

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Regarding the claims of the alumina supplied to Russia being used for defence-related purposes, Aughinish Alumina claimed that its operations were administered “in strict compliance with all applicable European Union laws, including sanctions, export control measures and trade regulations.”  Although alumina is not part of the EU sanctions at present, the urge to add it to the package persists. 

To that end, the Minister noted, “If sanctions have to be taken, they will be taken,” stressing that “there’s nobody shirking on the responsibility.”

Moving away from the impact of supplying alumina to the Russian market, Canney focused on the other side of the coin. He regarded the potential risk to more than 500 jobs at the Limerick refinery, highlighting the adverse effects on downstream and broader European supply chains that might result from the alumina sanctions approval.

Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney urged authorities that “we have to make sure that [the review] is done speedily,” as prolonged timelines weaken Ireland’s credibility as Russia’s geopolitical conflict with Ukraine continues.

TD Matt Carthy from Northern Ireland Assembly’s Sinn Féin argued that Ireland must ensure it is not indirectly supporting Russia’s military activities, while also encouraging engagement with the company to identify alternative export destinations and safeguard employment.

“This is a premium product. What I want to know is, [has] the government been engaging with the company to find alternative markets,” Carthy asked, since the first and foremost interest is to bring the geopolitical tensions to an end. 

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Tánaiste and Ireland’s Minister for Finance, Simon Harris, had earlier remarked that the latest information concerning Aughinish “cannot be dismissed or overlooked”, adding that any potential sanctions-related action would likely be considered at the EU level following the completion of the Department of Enterprise’s investigation.

The matter has added to the pressure facing the Irish government ahead of its upcoming presidency of the EU Council, as policymakers seek to balance economic and employment considerations with commitments to sanctions and foreign policy objectives.