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International Sanctions Application

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 October 2018

Thursday, 4 October 2018

Ceisteanna (29)

Niall Collins

Ceist:

29. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the efforts being made to ensure that US sanctions on Russia do not adversely affect a plant (details supplied); if he has formally raised this issue with the US Administration and at EU level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40299/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

My Government colleagues and I have been working closely with an Irish based plant to deal with issues related to US imposed sanctions on named Russian individuals and companies in the last number of months. While the rationale for the sanctions in question is fully understood, they have unfortunately and inadvertently had the effect of jeopardising a major employer in Ireland and, if a resolution is not found, will also lead to serious economic consequences elsewhere in Europe.

There has been extensive engagement between the Government and the US authorities on this issue in recent months. The Embassy in Washington DC is in regular, ongoing contact with the US administration, including with the US Treasury Department’s Office for Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which is responsible for administering and enforcing economic sanctions.

In addition, my officials based at Ireland’s Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels have engaged intensively on the issue, both with similarly affected EU Member States and with the European Commission. My Department is also represented on the Inter-Departmental committee established to safeguard the future of the plant, which has met regularly in recent months.

I wrote to my US counterpart, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on the issue in July, and again last month, outlining the difficulties faced here in Ireland, and requesting a definitive resolution to the situation. My colleagues, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Enterprise, Business and Innovation have also written to US Secretaries Mnuchin and Ross on the issue. The Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance also discussed the matter with Kevin Hassett, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, on his recent visit to Ireland. Most recently, I raised the issue with US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan in the course of my meeting with him in New York on Friday last.

There have also been ongoing contacts with the Irish management of the plant in the last number of months in order to understand the difficulties they are experiencing, and to seek their views on where a resolution might lie.

The Deputy will be aware that OFAC recently announced the extension of the expiration of the licence for the plant in question for several weeks, until mid-November. This is an encouraging sign, and one which I and my Government colleagues very much hope means we are moving closer to a resolution. Notwithstanding this, we will remain intensively engaged on the issue so as to safeguard the future of the plant.

Question No. 30 answered with Question No. 26.
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