Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Irelands international development programme is explicitly focused on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Ireland provides Official Development Assistance to support the most vulnerable people in more than 130 countries. To this end, we form partnerships with governments, international and multilateral organisations, local civil society groups and international non-governmental organisations.

A Better World: Ireland’s Policy for International Development, which was published in 2019, fully integrates the SDGs and sets out our contribution to their achievement. Its headline priorities are to reduce humanitarian need, support climate action, promote gender equality and strengthen governance, with the overarching ambition to reach the furthest behind first. These priorities closely align with the SDGs, individually and collectively, and the overall approach and spirit of the 2030 Agenda.

Our regional strategies also reflect Ireland’s commitment to the SDGs. The Government's Strategy for Africa to 2025, Strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean and Strategy for Partnership with Small Island Developing States enshrine our commitment to deepening engagement with countries in these regions in their efforts to achieve the SDGs. They have a particular focus on reaching the furthest behind first and leaving no-one behind.

Ireland’s engagement with specific partners and sectors is also guided by the SDGs. We require our multilateral partners to contribute effectively to the global achievement of the SDGs, and focus our collaboration with civil society, including very significant funding support, on the achievement of the Goals. Similarly, the Government's International Climate Finance Roadmap, published in 2022, sets out the strategy for achieving our climate finance commitments, a central target under SDG 13.

Ireland also supports the achievement of the SDGs through our diplomatic work. We are a leading advocate for human rights, civic space and multilateralism, values which underpin and cut across all the SDGs. At the UN, Ireland is currently co-facilitating the negotiation of the political declaration to be adopted by the SDG Summit to be held in New York in September.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland played a significant role in the development and adoption of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. We have prioritised the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) nationally and internationally. The provide the overall framework for the Government's international development policy, A Better World.

In September, world leaders will meet at the SDG Summit in New York to review progress on the SDGs. The Summit is an opportunity to rebuild momentum towards these Goals. The Permanent Representatives of Ireland and Qatar have been appointed to co-facilitate the negotiations on the Political Declaration to be adopted at the Summit. The role of co-facilitator is to ensure the Declaration reflects a broad consensus among Member States.

Preparations are well underway. Consultations began earlier this year, aiming to reach consensus on a final draft of the Declaration over the summer. The co-facilitators are working in a transparent and inclusive manner with UN member states, civil society and young people, academia and the private sector.

In our role as co-facilitator we are determined that the Political Declaration will give a clear statement of direction, galvanizing a shift from crisis response towards sustainable development. A strong outcome will also reaffirm the central role of multilateralism in finding solutions to the multiple challenges our world is facing.