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\nLocals fear what the Government’s investigation into Aughinish Alumina could recommend<\/p>\n
The Department of Enterprise is investigating whether Russian-owned Aughinish Alumina, which is an alumina refinery, is making products which is ending up in Russian military equipment.<\/p>\n
There are around about 1,000 workers in the company’s supply chain and about 900 more in the wider economy.<\/p>\n
The Government’s investigation into Aughinish Alumina is causing fear and uncertainty across west Limerick, writes Cian McCormack<\/p>\n
There is fear in west Limerick, fuelled by the uncertainty of the unknown.<\/p>\n
The unknown of what the Government’s investigation into Aughinish Alumina could recommend.<\/p>\n
The fear of whether sanctions could be imposed and the fear of jobs lost along with the backbone of the local economy.<\/p>\n
At 9am in Foynes, Breda Welsh is getting milk from the local shop.<\/p>\n
She and her husband Gerard are heading back to their farm when they stop to speak to RT\u00c9’s Morning Ireland.<\/p>\n
“The mood is worry and a bit of anxiety, definitely anxiety without question,” Breda said.<\/p>\n
For Breda there is little doubt about what the refinery means to west Limerick.<\/p>\n
“It’s important, very important economically, absolutely without question. The area absolutely benefits vastly from it,” she added.<\/p>\n
The unease from the the couple is repeated time and again by people in the locality.<\/p>\n
Not everyone wants to talk though. Some politely decline and others simply shrug and walk by.<\/p>\n
“I don’t know enough about that.”<\/p>\n
“There\u2019s no one really talking about that around here.”<\/p>\n
But among the majority, who do stop, there is a recurring view.<\/p>\n
\nLocals fear what the Government’s investigation into Aughinish Alumina could recommend<\/p>\n
People are worried about jobs, money, the future – the ‘what if\u2019 the big alumina producer pulls out.<\/p>\n
In Askeaton, it is clear that nobody defends Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n
The fear is that the economy and jobs centred on Aughinish could become collateral damage.<\/p>\n
If they are gone, locals said, everything could fail. The local coffee shop, the pubs, local businesses.<\/p>\n
Sean Moran, owns Moran’s Hardware, and feels that fear. His customers need money to buy what he sells.<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s mostly compost now. There’s lots of gardening going on in the good weather,” he said.<\/p>\n
“People are worried,” he said. “I think people want to see the right thing done, but then you have to look, maybe sometimes look at yourself as well, you know?<\/p>\n
“If we lose the factory or lose whatever, how are we going to suffer? It might be a bit selfish to look at it that way, but I think that’s the way people are looking at it,” he added.<\/p>\n
Saying that though, he is clear about the war waged by Russia.<\/p>\n
“The damage that’s been done in Ukraine is obviously a concern to people as well. I suppose the ideal situation would be the factory to remain open with new customers,” he said.<\/p>\n
Another man, who switches comfortably between Irish and English, said people are “on edge”, “ar b\u00eds”. A lot of money earned in Aughinish is spent in local businesses, he said. And, that is important. They would find it difficult to survive without it.<\/p>\n
But he also said he has deep concerns if material produced in Limerick ends up supporting Russia’s war machine. He has environmental concerns too.<\/p>\n
But the “drochsc\u00e9al”, bad news, he said, would be the loss of jobs. If they disappear, it would be “a sorry day for the locals.”<\/p>\n
For Limerick Leader journalist Nick Rabbitts, what is at the heart of local concern is jobs.<\/p>\n
“There is real fear around jobs,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Askeaton has in the last two years had a job shock itself with the closure of a Nestl\u00e9 plant which produced baby formula. All those jobs were outsourced to China and Switzerland and we lost in the region of 500 jobs here.<\/p>\n
“That was a massive blow,” he added.<\/p>\n
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\nFianna F\u00e1il councillor Ger Ward said he fears what could happen next<\/p>\n
“It means now that for that west Limerick area, Rusal Alumina is the only company left standing effectively for mass employment.<\/p>\n
“They employ 430 people but they also have hundreds more reliant on the factory for an income,” he said.<\/p>\n
Business leaders argue the refinery’s importance stretches well beyond those directly employed. This is about the midwest. It is about the economy. It is about industrial and energy infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Limerick Chamber Chief Executive Donnacha Hurley said Aughinish contributes around \u20ac140 million in gross added value to the Irish economy annually, while spending almost \u20ac700m on operations.<\/p>\n
“A lot of businesses locally feel the benefit of that and how it’s spent locally in shops and activities,” he said.<\/p>\n
He also pointed out that the refinery’s combined heat and power plant exports energy to the nation. Enough to power 200,000 homes.<\/p>\n
He added that about 60% of all cargo tonnage moving through the Shannon Estuary is also connected to activity at Aughinish.<\/p>\n
“It’s quite a critical fulcrum to the activity around the port facilities there,” he said, describing the plant as being of “crucial importance” to both the regional economy and infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Those arguments featured prominently in briefing documents obtained by RT\u00c9 News in May.<\/p>\n
In those documents, the company warned the Government that any move to restrict alumina sales to Russia could threaten the refinery’s viability, with knock-on consequences for employment, electricity generation and financial support currently provided towards maintaining Ireland’s gas network.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, back in Foynes, Fianna F\u00e1il councillor Ger Ward said he fears what could happen next.<\/p>\n
“A huge loss of jobs, that’s the real fear,” he said.<\/p>\n