700 jobs at Limerick firm safe after US vote

Around 700 jobs at Aughinish Alumina in Limerick are safe for now following a US senate vote to allow sanctions on its owner to be lifted — but the political fallout is not over after the House of Representatives voted the opposite way.

Fears were raised for the jobs in Limerick this week as senators from both parties indicated their intention to override the US treasury’s decision to lift sanctions imposed on companies such as Aughinish owner Rusal, which is controlled by the Russian billionaire Oleg Derispaska through another company, En+.