The Atlantic Current, Ep. 61: Niall Collins And The Aughinish Yawn
Another social media gaffe highlights the weakness of an Irish political party on a key issue — this one with global repercussions
Tull sparks another social media controversy for an Irish politician — this time, when TD Niall Collins replies to legitimate concern about the Aughinish Alumina plant with a “yawn” emoji.
After covering the story in Ep. 53 - which one listener called the “best podcast I have listened to” on Aughinish and its Russian shipments - Tull and Vince take the chance to update listeners on new developments. Private and public investigations are closing in, yet the apparent strategy from Fianna Fáil and the government is to simply take the middle road — pleasing no one, and accomplishing little.
Episode 61 Links:
Listeners can also check out Ep. 53, where we gave background on the Aughinish story going back to the 1990s, focusing not just on the concern over shipments to Russia but long-running claims of horrible effects on the health of humans (including cancer clusters) and animals in the area.
Episode 53 Links:
The Infamous ‘Yawn’
Last week, a Tweet from Tull led to a viral moment highlighting a cringeworthy gaffe from a Sinn Féin MEP around Gaeilge. This week, it was a Fianna Fáil TD stepping in it:
We might suggest that Irish politicians stay off social media — or at least away from Tull’s account — for a while. Rule of threes and all.
Here is the article from Irish Times in which Collins complains about “misinformation” around the refinery.
Caolan Robertson with Niall Collins
Here is the video of Caolan Robertson — who has done wonderful work on this story — confronting Niall Collins over Aughinish shipments to Russia. Notably, Collins refuses to commit to endorsing sanctions even if Aughinish alumina is proven to be used in Russian missiles. And, as Tull noted, he expresses complete ignorance as to why signs around the facility are in Russian:
Senator Gerry Craughwell on Aughinish Alumina
Here is the article from the Limerick Leader, mentioned by Tull, in which Senator Gerry Craughwell recounts his time at the plant and the injuries suffered by workers.
Notably, the article also quotes another Senator who points out the original terms for the refinery included a bond from Aughinish (which in turn would be used to pay for any necessary cleanup expenses in the event of a spill). That bond, however, was removed from the final license.
“Falsified Records”
And here is an Irish Times report from just last week, in a which a judge indeed said that the planning commission had submitted “falsified records”.
Tull’s Money Quotes
On the claim from Collins that Aughinish has not violated the law or risked the health of citizens in the area (the claim that started this social media donnybrook):
What’s been going on in Aughinish has been called out by journalists since the year 2000. And for Niall Collins to get on the radio and say, you know, ‘nothing’s ever happened down there’, that’s just simply not true. It’s simply not true.
And why this is more than just a Twitter fight:
These are real world consequences. And for all Niall Collins is yawning on social media, people are dying in Ukraine. Families are being polluted around Aughinish. The farmers around Aughinish are suffering terribly. And all he can do is give a yawn on social media. That’s where our political discourse has come to. Long gone are long gone are the days of brilliant debates.
Vince’s Money Quotes
On the debate of whether Irish alumina winds up in Russian missiles:
It’s almost irrelevant whether or not an actual shipment of alumina— where that ends up in Russia. The point is that if you are contributing to their supply chain in general, almost by definition you’re contributing to their weapons supply chain. Because this is what countries at war do. Countries prioritize their supply chain for weapons…It seems across the board rather disingenuous to put it mildly.
On politicians and the yawn emoji:
If you would really want to come out as somebody who’s fighting for your constituents and fighting for jobs, I’m not sure the yawn emoji is quite the best way to galvanize enthusiasm for your reelection campaign.
middle road — pleasing no one, and accomplishing little.
The parochial always beats the national in FFG land.
Niall Collins certainly bit off more than he can chew with those yawns!
Meanwhile the Irish Gov are trying to whitewash the orange slag heaps of the Aughinish plant - it will never work
A) There are too many affected workers & farmers
B) The alumina is getting into the Russian industry pipeline and that’s enough reason to stop selling it to them
C) It’s time to accept the plant cannot sell to Russia or their proxies and the Irish shovel to source new customers or close down the plant!