Ms Niamh Garvey:

Dóchas is not hugely active in the area of goal 14. Within the broader coalition of the 2030 grouping, we collaborate with a number of allies in that broader network who have been working in this area. There is a high level of concern around the use of single-use plastics and some exciting campaigns by some of our allies in that network to reduce Ireland's dependence on such plastics, microbeads being a fantastic example if that were to progress.

Deputy Crowe makes exactly the right connections between business and human rights. We have mentioned human rights defenders and we are seeing huge attacks on human rights defenders globally and, in particular, environmental and land activists. The footprint of companies in terms of the loss of indigenous lands for such communities is worrying. The Deputy is right to name Ireland's national action plan on business and human rights, which was launched just over a year ago and contained some commitments for activities within the first six months of the plan's existence that have not yet materialised. We urge and would like to see the establishment of the oversight group that was committed to in that and a beginning of the roll-out of the work plan. There were clear steps in that national action plan that need to be implemented as soon as possible.

The national action plan is about voluntary commitments by Ireland, which are very important. In addition, internationally there is a process towards developing a binding UN treaty on business and human rights, and we would see this as an opportunity for strengthened regulation around the activities of companies in the context of their human rights abuse footprints.

We would like Ireland, as part of the European Union, to be more supportive and to champion the need for such a treaty. A working group meeting is taking place between 15 October and 19 October to discuss it and we would like Ireland to be a proactive voice for it.