“Ensuring that Ireland is not complicit” - Mayo TD calls for aluminium investigation
Rose Conway-Wlash TD says government must establish whether Irish-produced alumina is linked to Russia’s war effort
Mayo TD Rose Conway Walsh has called on the Government to provide a clear timeline for an investigation into Aughinish Alumina’s exports, following comments made by Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland earlier this week.
The Sinn Féin TD said a full and transparent examination of the company’s exports to Russia is needed to ensure that no material produced in Ireland is being used to support the Russian military or its ongoing war in Ukraine.
Deputy Conway Walsh said it was not sufficient for the Government to state that it had “no information” indicating that exports from the plant were being used in weapons production.
“It is simply not good enough for Minister Burke to say the Government has ‘no information’ that shows that the plant’s exports to Russia are being turned into the weapons of war that are potentially being used to kill innocent Ukrainian civilians,” she said.
“The Government must be able to state clearly and confidently that nothing produced at Aughinish is supporting Russia’s war effort. If it cannot do so, it must establish the facts without delay.”
While stressing the importance of protecting employment at the major industrial facility, Conway Walsh said workers and their families should not be caught in the middle of the controversy.
“Protecting jobs at Aughinish is essential and the plant’s importance as an employer in the Mid-West region should not be understated. The Government cannot allow workers and their families to be caught in the middle of this. However, protecting jobs cannot be used as an excuse to avoid legitimate scrutiny,” she said.
The Mayo TD noted that there is strong international demand for alumina and aluminium and suggested that the company could diversify away from the Russian market over time.
“The question here is not whether jobs can be protected, but whether the government can provide assurances that products originating from Ireland are not finding their way into the Russian war machine,” she said.
Conway Walsh also expressed surprise that alumina was not included in the European Commission’s 20th sanctions package against Russia and noted reports that it is not expected to feature in the next round of sanctions due to concerns about impacts on European industry.
However, she said this did not remove the Irish Government’s responsibility to ensure that Ireland is not contributing, directly or indirectly, to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The implications for our neutrality, and ensuring that Ireland is not complicit in military aggression, must be to the fore,” she said.
Concluding her remarks, Deputy Conway Walsh said serious questions remain unanswered and called on Minister Burke to provide evidence, transparency and a clear timeframe for completing the investigation.
“There are serious questions surrounding Aughinish Alumina that need answered, and the Government cannot simply ask the public to take this on trust,” she added. “Minister Burke must provide evidence, transparency and a clear timeline for completing this work.”