The ultimate owner of Aughinish Alumina in Limerick has said significant investment is planned for the facility, just months after US Government sanctions threatened the future of its 450-plus jobs.

An Irish company that had signed up to a deal with ESB in 2010 to develop 50 megawatts of geothermal electricity in Ireland has abandoned its plans — and the country — because the Government has not yet legislated to support the clean energy technology.