Eileen Lynch (Fine Gael)

It did. We won. I thank the witnesses very much for their presentations. We are addressing an incredibly important issue and it is undoubtedly disappointing to see where we are in 2025 with regard to our delivery on the SDGs and how we compare at the European level. There are many areas of concern but what do the organisations see as the biggest area of concern for us, as a nation, in respect of our delivery on the SDGs?

Civic engagement was mentioned in the context of the EU Council Presidency. I feel that civic engagement and engagement with the public on the SDGs in general is not where it should be. How could SDGs be made more relatable to the general public so they would be more knowledgeable about them? The general public is probably not as aware of SDGs as they should be because it is incredibly important.

The engagement of councils was also mentioned. How could local authority engagement be improved? I am a former member of a local authority and SDGs were not overly prominent in our work. Local authorities across the country could play a significant role in the delivery of these goals. What is the best way in which to progress that?