Aughinish Alumina has significantly stepped up its lobbying of Irish politicians and officials as the European Commission contemplates sanctions targeting the Co Limerick plant’s output.
Aughinish’s exports of alumina to Russia have been in the spotlight after reporting by The Irish Times last March traced the shipments to Russian smelters, which make it into aluminium that is sold to a company supplying more than 100 Russian weapons manufacturers.
Aughinish and its Russian owner Rusal deny this, saying Irish alumina is used only for the export and civilian market in Russia.
Filings to the State’s Lobbying Register show that the plant’s management has engaged in extensive communications with senior Government politicians and officials. The level of lobbying is at the highest level since 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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Between May and August, representatives of the plant contacted 20 officials and politicians, including Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris, Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke and Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee.
It has also contacted Niall Collins, a Minister of State in the Department of Justice and a vocal defender of the plant, Minister of State in the Department of Transport Seán Canney and Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae.
Aughinish has also contacted nine of the 14 Irish MEPs: Fine Gael’s Seán Kelly, Nina Carberry, Regina Doherty and Maria Walsh; Fianna Fáil’s Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, Billy Kelleher and Barry Cowen; Sinn Féin’s Kathleen Funchion; and Independent Michael McNamara.
The company also lobbied Deirdre Gillane, the Taoiseach’s chief of staff, and Department of Transport secretary general Declan Hughes.
The lobbying included up to 31 letters, phone calls, meetings and “informal communications”. According to the register, the purpose of the lobbying was “to provide an update on EU Critical Raw Material and risks to ongoing employment at Aughinish”.
It is understood this included reminders to politicians that around 1,000 people are employed in the plant, with another 1,000 or more relying on its business.
Lobbying efforts also focused on claims that sanctioning the plant would have a negligible impact on Russia’s ability to source alumina while substantially affecting alumina exports to the European Union.
The lobbying period coincided with the preparation of an investigative report by the Department of Enterprise into the export of alumina to Russia.
The investigation concluded there was not enough evidence to determine Irish alumina was being used in Russian weapons. However, the department said it was unable to obtain evidence from within Russia.
Exports of Irish alumina to Russia have risen this year, according to the most recent trade data. There were 422,474 tonnes of alumina, worth €119.5 million, shipped from the Co Limerick facility to Russia, an average of 70,412 tonnes a month.
Negotiations on the next round of EU sanctions targeting Russia are due to begin shortly, with the European Commission aiming to implement these before winter.
It is understood some EU member states intend to argue that sanctions should be imposed to prevent the export of Irish alumina to Russia.
