Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 83 proposes to place a statutory obligation on the mayor to act in a manner consistent with achieving the United Nations sustainable development goals, with a particular emphasis on goal 11 on sustainable cities and communities.

It is important to note that Ireland's second National Implementation Plan for the Sustainable Development Goals 2022-2024 was developed in collaboration with all Departments and key stakeholders, and based on input from two public consultation processes. One of the strategic objectives of the plan is “to integrate the SDGs into Local Authority work to better support the localisation of the SDGs”, recognising the important role of local government in this regard. A number of actions within the plan also relate to the role for local authorities in incorporating the sustainable development goals into corporate plans, development plans and local economic and community plans. This is already being bedded in all areas at local government level, as Senator Boyhan has said.

Sustainability is at the heart of long-term planning and is one of the main ambitions underpinning Ireland's national planning framework. Since 2015, the State has been a signatory to the UN sustainable development goals. These goals are embedded in national agendas and policies to 2030. There is significant alignment between the national planning framework and the UN sustainable development goals in areas ranging from climate action to sustainability in the community. Our regional assemblies have prepared regional spatial and economic strategies that cover matters relating to the sustainable development goals. City and county development plans have been reviewed to ensure they align with both the national planning framework and regional spatial and economic strategies, which means that sustainable communities are also addressed by these plans.

Section 33 of the Bill provides for the Limerick Project Ireland 2040 delivery board, which the mayor will chair. One of the board's functions is to support the implementation in Limerick of the national planning framework, Limerick's city and county development plan and the parts of the local regional spatial and economic strategies that pertain to the Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area. As outlined, all three of these policies are committed to promoting the sustainability of communities in accordance with the sustainable development goals.

I fully agree with the Senators' objective that the goals should be given full effect in Limerick. As they are already firmly anchored in the Bill, I believe we have created structures which satisfy this ambition. As a result, I do not propose to accept the amendment. However, I have given a commitment to the House and to Senator Higgins to look at the possibilities around biodiversity and climate in the context of Report Stage. I will come back on that.