The European Commission has said the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will discuss the issue of Aughinish Alumina and alumina exports to Russia when she meets the Taoiseach Micheal Martin in Dublin tomorrow.
Aughinish Alumina is the refinery in Co Limerick at the centre of a controversy over its raw material allegedly ending up in Russian weapons.
Spokesperson Anitta Hipper told a news briefing: “Several topics will be discussed, including the support to Ukraine and also further pressure on Russia, but also this specific topic will be addressed as a matter of concern.”
Separately, asked if alumina could be considered in the next EU sanctions package against Russia, spokesperson Siobhan McGarry said: “We never comment on our upcoming sanctions packages. We are, with every sanctions package, looking at ways that we can close loopholes, always… with a goal to maximizing pressure on Russia and minimizing any revenues that they would take from this war.”
Aughinish Alumina in Co Limerick is at the centre of controversy over raw material allegedly ending up in Russian weapons
One European Commission source said at that time that the reason to not to propose sanctions was due to the potential disruption to the European aluminium market, given that Aughinish is the main supplier of alumina to a number of EU smelting companies.
Alumina is a compound of aluminium. Aluminium is a vital component for hundreds of industrial, commercial, and military goods.
Thirty-nine MEPs from 12 member states had written to the European Commission calling for a ban on alumina exports from the EU to Russia, while the vice president of the European Parliament Pina Picierno called on the Commission to add alumina to the next sanctions package.
Read RTÉ Clarity: Russia’s refinery? Why Europe’s focus has turned to Aughinish
For its part last month, Aughinish Alumina warned the Government that any attempt to sanction its sale of alumina to Moscow would have implications for Ireland’s national gas and electricity grids.
The warning came in a briefing document provided by the Russian-owned plant to the Government and seen by RTÉ News.
The document stated that Aughinish Alumina “exports excess electricity to the national grid, enough to power [circa] 200,000 Irish households”.
The note also warns that Aughinish provides up to €25m each year for the maintenance of the natural gas grid.
Aughinish Alumina stated that it exports excess electricity to the national grid
Both the briefing document, and a letter from the company to the Government – also seen by RTÉ News – warned that any attempt to restrict the sale of alumina from the Limerick plant to Russia would mean that the “ongoing viability of the refinery at Aughinish would be severely in question with the potential loss of employment”.
The letter to the Government ultimately warned that, since Russia is a net exporter of aluminium, and that it only relies on Aughinish for 10% of its alumina needs, any EU sanctions would “have no material impact on Russia and potentially stoke inflation in commodity markets in Europe”.