The Irish Government is continuing the process of dialogue with the European Commission and other EU nations in order to address the future of the Aughinish alumina refinery. One of the main issues, safeguarding job losses at one of Limerick County’s largest employers.
Specifically, Irish Fine Gael politician, serving as Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment since June 2020, Leo Eric Varadkar, has been in talks with his French and Swedish counterparts to prevent the loss of 480 jobs from Europe’s largest alumina refinery. The closure of the aforementioned facility would also imply the cancellation of the contracts associated with the refinery and companies associated with this activity.
Simon Coveney, the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, notes that “the government will not oppose any imposition of EU sanctions on Oleg Deripaska, but wants to protect the company’s workers.”
Indeed, the Aughinish alumina refinery was in danger last year due to a military coup in Guinea, from where the refinery sources its bauxite feedstock. Global miner Rio Tinto has also announced that it is severing all relations with the Russian aluminum giant, which has ultimately affected the refinery for its shipment of bauxite from Brazil.
