Mr. Ed O'Donovan:

I will go back to the question on companies. While 100 companies have recognised the need for robust environmental and human rights due diligence - and many more have articulated the desire to see human rights defenders protected in that - coming back to Deputy Stanton's point, the reality is that many simply do not know who human rights defenders are. We have also had that issue with some Department officials we met in that there is a lack of understanding in this regard. As was mentioned previously, the ability or potential for this committee to play a key role in helping move that conversation along is there; it could be extremely useful.

Dr. Widdis mentioned Japan's new text around human rights and environmental due diligence, which also specifically includes the role of human rights defenders and the need for protection under such laws. We see the dial is shifting, but Ireland still needs to do much more.