Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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197. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the importation of bauxite from Guinea in which mining for this mineral has been associated with human rights abuses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38836/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Bauxite which is the main ore of alumina and a Scheduled Mineral under the Minerals Development Acts 1940 to 1999, is not mined in Ireland and no prospecting licences are held for bauxite.  While I as Minister have no role in relation to importation of bauxite, I am aware that it is is imported into Ireland from Guinea, and is refined at Aughinish Alumina, before the Alumina is exported to be refined into aluminium metal. I will shortly be proposing to Government a Policy Statement on Mineral Exploration and Mining, seeking the adoption of a set of principles and serving as a frame of reference for Ireland’s contribution to the development of EU policy. The statement has been finalised following consideration by the Advisory Group on Mineral Exploration of proposed text changes in response to public consultation submissions. The membership of the Advisory Group on Mineral Exploration and Mining is drawn from the Environmental, Industry and Social Pillars as well as government departments and regulatory bodies. 

The statement is expected to adopt the principle that Ireland’s use of its mineral resources must be balanced by conservation, support our transition to the circular economy and carbon neutrality and promote equitable development including international and inter-generational equity, as well as generating economic activity through commercial enterprise. It also sets out the national and international policy context for mineral exploration and mining, identifying the role minerals will play in helping Ireland meet its international goals and commitments, including the European Green Deal, Circular Economy Action Plan, Raw Materials Initiative and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Bauxite is among a number of minerals and metals used in the manufacture of batteries. The final draft of the new EU Batteries Regulation which has been under negotiation since April, aims to ensure that batteries placed on the EU market should become sustainable, high-performing and safe throughout their life cycle. This includes producing batteries with the lowest possible environmental impact, using materials obtained in full respect of human rights as well as social and ecological standards, and ensuring they are long-lasting and safe, and aiming for them at end of life to be repurposed, remanufactured or recycled, feeding valuable materials back into the economy. Supply chain aspects are also addressed by requiring new due diligence policies for certain batteries placed on the single market, and empowering EU Commission review in respect of that obligation so as to address social and environmental risks inherent in the extraction, processing and trading of certain raw materials for battery manufacturing purposes.

Advocacy by certain international human rights organisations over the past number of years has highlighted the social and environmental impacts including human rights abuses, of bauxite mining in Guinea, as well as the scope for and extent of responsible sourcing of aluminium by, for example, car manufacturers.  More recently, a coalition including Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International, has called on the EU to ensure the proposed EU Regulation would require responsible sourcing by importers and manufacturers of materials including bauxite used in batteries.

Materials management and the sustainable and responsible sourcing and use of critical raw materials are central to our vision for minerals and mining in Ireland and are key components of the circular economy transition. Bauxite is included on the 2020 List of Critical Raw Materials accompanying the European Commission's Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials: ‘Critical Raw Materials Resilience: Charting a Path towards greater Security and Sustainability', which also considered the use of critical raw materials for strategic technologies and sectors from the 2030 and 2050 perspectives. The Action Plan proposes actions to reduce Europe's dependency on third countries, diversifying supply from both primary and secondary sources and improving resource efficiency and circularity while promoting responsible global sourcing.  In this regard, the Environmental Protection Agency's 2020 'Al Source' research paper examined the potential to recover other valuable minerals from bauxite residues such as those which are produced at Aughinish.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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198. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the ongoing importation of coal from the Cerrejón coal mines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38837/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I have no function in purchasing coal. If the question is in respect of the purchase of coal for electricity generation, the matter would be an operational one for the company concerned and would likewise be one in which I have no function.