LAST UPDATE | 39 mins ago

TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN will today address the European Parliament in Strasbourg, as it sits for the first time during Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

His speech will come ahead of a European Parliament debate later today on a resolution to adopt the 2025 European Commission Report on Ukraine.

MEPs will vote later this week on whether to include an amendment to the resolution which would place sanctions on Limerick’s Aughinish Alumina as part of wider sanctions against Russia.

The European People’s Party group in the European Parliament, of which Fine Gael is a member, and the Socialists and Democrats group, of which Labour is a member, tabled the vote requests over the weekend.

Aughinish Alumina in Foynes is owned by Rusal, which is in turn owned by Putin ally Oleg Deripaska – it has been claimed that the Irish product has been used to manufacture arms used in Ukraine by the Russian military. 

An investigation is currently underway into the firm’s exports and is expected to be complete in the coming weeks. 

Although the European Parliament vote on sanctions this week will be non-binding, it is likely to further increase the pressure on Ireland to address the situation with Aughinish Alumina.

The Journal has learned Sinn Féin, Labour and Ireland’s four Fine Gael MEPs intend to vote in favour of sanctions which would stop Aughinish Alumina exports to Russia.

Fianna Fáil’s MEPs have not all yet decided how they will vote, however, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú confirmed to The Journal that she will be abstaining.

It is also unclear how Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly and Independents Luke Ming Flanagan and Michael McNamara will vote.

In a statement, Sinn Féin said it will support both the EPP and S&D amendments and called on the EU to step in and purchase the Limerick plant.

“The workers of Aughinish don’t make export decisions and their jobs need to be protected,” the party said, adding, however, that profits cannot flow into a country violating international law.

“The EU has said that the alumina is a critical material to the bloc so now they must demonstrate that through action,” the party said.

The Taoiseach Micheál Martin said in recent days that nationalising the firm is ‘not on the agenda right now’.

Fine Gael’s four MEPs have previously said they are deeply concerned by reports that exports from Aughinish Alumina are being used in Russia’s war efforts against Ukraine. 

“We fully support further measures that increase pressure on Russia and reinforce our unwavering solidarity with the people of Ukraine,” the MEPs said last month.

The Taoiseach will use his address today to set out Ireland’s priorities for the EU presidency, which began last week.

While in Strasbourg, the Taoiseach will meet with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola and Irish MEPs.

Speaking ahead of the trip, he said he looked forward to “presenting the Irish EU Presidency priorities which will focus on enhancing the competitiveness of our economy, safeguarding the values of our Union at home and abroad, and providing for the security of our citizens”.

Last week, head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and her college of commissioners visited Cork to mark the beginning of Ireland’s six-month presidency.