The Government is fighting a rearguard action inside the European Union to head off fresh pressure to levy economic sanctions on Aughinish Alumina, following a push by Estonia to cut off the Co Limerick plant’s exports to Russia.
Irish officials have made representations in Brussels to underline the Government’s position that sanctioning the Irish plant would disrupt the supply of key raw materials to European industry.
Margus Tsahkna, Estonia’s minister for foreign affairs, confirmed the Baltic country had argued for EU-level sanctions to choke off the supply of alumina from Europe to Russia, in effect a call to target the Irish plant owned by Russian metals giant Rusal.
A fresh package of sanctions proposed by the European Commission on Tuesday – the 21st since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 – did not include measures or restrictions on exports of alumina.
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The Government is under renewed pressure to respond to revelations Aughinish Alumina is shipping vast amounts of alumina to smelters in Russia, where the raw material is used to make aluminium later supplied to dozens of Russian arms manufacturers.
Speaking during a visit to Dublin on Tuesday, Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top representative on foreign affairs, said it was “important that we get the facts straight” about the midwest industrial plant.
“Alumina is not currently covered by the EU sanctions. Europe must close all loopholes, tighten sanctions enforcement, and ensure our commitments are backed by our deeds,” the senior EU politician told a press conference.
Kallas said she trusted in the continuing inquiry launched into Aughinish Alumina, which is being led by the Department of Enterprise.
An Irish Times investigation in March, carried out in co-operation with the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, detailed the downstream role Aughinish Alumina plays in the supply chain of the Russian military effort, prompting calls for exports of alumina to Russia to be curtailed by EU economic sanctions.
[ The Irish Times view on Aughinish Alumina: questions getting louderOpens in new window ]
It is understood the view within senior levels of the European Commission remains that the bloc’s regime of sanctions had to be designed in a way where new restrictions harmed Russia more than European countries. New EU sanctions need to be unanimously approved by all 27 national governments.
“The EU must not export goods to Russia that can support its military industry or help sustain its aggression against Ukraine,” Tsahkna said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee said she had discussed Aughinish Alumina with Kallas during their meeting.
“Once the investigation that is under way concludes, that information will be provided to the commission,” the Minister said. “We will ensure that any decisions that need to be taken to put pressure on Russia, that they will have the full support of Ireland,” she said.
