A split is emerging among Ireland’s MEPs ahead of a European Parliament vote tomorrow on whether the EU should move to ban alumina exports to Russia.
Fianna Fáil MEPs will abstain, a decision reached after a meeting in Strasbourg this morning.
Fine Gael MEPs, by contrast, will back the proposal.
Dublin MEP Regina Doherty said in a statement last night: “I will be voting in favour of a full ban on the export of alumina from the EU to Russia. Europe cannot continue supplying strategic materials to a regime waging an illegal and brutal war on our continent.
Two amendments, calling for a ban on exports of alumina to Russia, have been added to a debate and vote on a European Commission report on Ukraine’s accession process.
The Government is completing a review into the operations of the Co Limerick Aughinish Alumina refinery
The Government is completing a review into the operations of the Co Limerick Aughinish Alumina refinery, following an investigation suggesting that hundreds of thousands of tonnes of alumina from the plant may have found their way into Russia’s military industrial complex.
Last week, the Taoiseach said that Ireland will “develop an approach” with the European Commission on how to respond to the shipments of alumina from the Aughinish Alumina refinery.
He said that what appears to be a joint approach involving Dublin and the Commission would flow from the outcome of the Government’s investigation into the plant’s operations.
Mr Martin did not elaborate on what this joint approach would entail, although he said the outcome of the investigation would be a matter of weeks rather than months.
Read more:
How Aughinish overshadowed Ireland’s Presidency fanfareAughinish Alumina probe ‘for Ireland to lead’ – Von der Leyen
Meanwhile, Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman urged the Government to “stop avoiding” questions about the Aughinish Alumina site in Limerick and “hoping it will all go away”.
Speaking to reporters, Mr O’Gorman took aim at the time it has taken to finalise the independent report into the site.
He said he believes the coalition will come under renewed strain if the European Parliament votes tomorrow in favour of the non-binding call to ban the export of alumina from the EU to Russia.
If that happens, he said, the Government should begin examining practical alternatives for the site and the jobs connected to it.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Drivetime this evening, Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee said the Government had been “very clear” that it does not want any material coming out of Ireland “directly feeding” the war in Russia.
She said: “The facts have to be established. There was additional information provided through the Ukrainian embassy in recent weeks.
“It’s important that any information we have is assessed as part of that overall review.”
Ms McEntee said that once the facts are established, decisions on next steps would follow.
“We have never voted down or voted against any sanctions package that has been brought forward.
“That is not going to change during our presidency and I would hope the fact that President (Volodymyr) Zelensky came and was invited to our opening ceremony is a very clear signal to them, but also to the rest of the EU, that this is going to be a priority for us during the presidency,” she added.
