Minister denies Aughinish Alumina controversy dominating EU presidency

Aughinish Alumnia on the Shannon Estuary in Co Limerick. File picture: Dan Linehan

Ireland’s European affairs minister has denied controversy surrounding Aughinish Alumina has dominated the first week of the EU presidency, as the European Parliament called for exports of alumina to Russia to be barred.

Thomas Byrne said Ireland has been proactive on sanctions against Russia and pushed back on the level of attention received by alumina exports.

“I don’t accept that it’s dominated… It is certainly one issue that’s been in the news the last few weeks, but it was not dominating discussions last week or this week,” Mr Byrne said.

He said it is for the European Commission to propose further sanctions, and that the Government would consider the investigation into Aughinish Alumina once completed.

His comments came as the European Parliament voted to call for a full ban on the export of alumina to Russia.

However, the resolution backed by MEPs will be non-binding, with Fine Gael, Sinn Féin and Labour MEPs voting in favour of a ban. 

Fianna Fáil’s four MEPs, however, opted to abstain.

The call for a ban was submitted as an amendment to a 2025 report on Ukraine’s EU accession progress.

It was not taken as a roll call vote, but was agreed through a show of hands by MEPs.

Despite Fianna Fáil’s abstention, party MEP Barry Andrews said the Government must consider the possible nationalisation of the Aughinish Alumina plant to prevent exports to Russia.

Mr Andrews said it did “not consider the risks to the European supply chain of this critical resource, or to the risks to the downstream supply of aluminium to Europe”.

“The amendments also did not recognise that the Irish Government now sees the need for action and is currently investigating Aughinish Alumina,” Mr Andrews said.

“Therefore, in consultation with my Fianna Fáil colleagues, I abstained on these specific amendments.” 

Thomas Byrne said it is for the European Commission to propose further sanctions. Picture: Sam Boal/Collin Photos

Mr Andrews said he is frustrated with the slow pace of the Department of Enterprise investigation.

“In my view, it is highly likely alumina exported from Ireland is being used in the Russian military and that these exports have increased since 2022. 

"It is also now clearer that the beneficial owner of the company is still a pro-Putin oligarch,” Mr Andrews said.

“If this is confirmed, the Irish Government must urgently work with our EU partners to close off these exports, stop supplying the Russian war machine, and divert the company’s supply chains.

“Nationalisation of the company must be an option, and if needed, the EU must assist in working with international partners in securing the supply of raw material to Aughinish Alumina.” 

Fine Gael’s Seán Kelly said the decision to back the vote was “consistent” with the party’s support of Ukraine.

Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan, who also backed the vote, said it was critical that jobs at the Aughinish Alumna site were protected.

Ms Boylan said if the EU sought to sanction the sale of alumina to Russia, the EU must then become the “alternative customer” for the raw material.