The European Commission’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will discuss the issue of Aughinish Alumina when she meets Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Tuesday.
Kallas, a commission vice-president and Europe’s high representative for foreign affairs, will be in Dublin for talks in advance of Ireland’s upcoming European Union presidency, which begins next month.
The Department of Enterprise is investigating after reports that alumina from the Aughinish Alumina plant in Co Limerick ended up in the supply chain for manufacturing Russian arms used in its war against Ukraine.
In March, an Irish Times investigation, carried out in co-operation with the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, found that Aughinish’s Co Limerick plant was shipping vast amounts of alumina to smelters in Russia, where it is used to make aluminium, which is then sold to a trading company, ASK, that supplies dozens of Russian arms manufacturers.
The issue of Aughinish Alumina was raised by a reporter at a European Commission press briefing on Monday.
A commission spokeswoman said Kallas would be meeting the Taoiseach and “several topics will be discussed including the EU support of Ukraine, also pressure on Russia and also this specific topic will be addressed as a matter of concern”.
On the question of alumina being included in EU sanctions, another commission spokeswoman said: “We never comment on our upcoming sanctions packages.
“We are, with every sanctions package, looking at ways that we can close loopholes, always as I’ve said repeatedly with a goal to maximising pressure on Russia and minimising any revenues that they would take from this war.
“So beyond that we really can’t say more than that.
“We always appreciate the work of investigative journalists because they play a fundamental part of what we do on look at further measures but I can’t comment on a specific case at this time.”
During a separate press conference at a Renew Europe event in Cork, the Taoiseach was asked about Ireland’s stance on Aughinish Alumina and any potential sanctions.
He noted a Department of Enterprise investigation is under way and said: “European sanctions are a European competence and the commission engages with member states.”
Martin added: “We have concerns clearly but we will, as soon as we have completed our work through the Department of Enterprise … We will engage with the commission and with our colleagues in respect of this.”
He also said: “At the outset from my perspective, my understanding – this is a wider European supply chain issue, not just one specific to Aughinish or to Ireland so alumina was not on the sanctions list from the beginning of this war.”
Fianna Fáil Ireland South MEP Billy Kelleher was also present and said: “The first principle of sanctions is to do more harm to the enemy than to yourself and there is an investigation being carried out by the department.”