Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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336. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the report, Business and Human Rights. [36084/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Since the publication of the Working Outline of the National Plan on Business and Human Rights on 10 December 2015, my Department has engaged in extensive consultations to ensure that all relevant sectors of Irish society have had the opportunity to contribute to the development of the Plan. Work is advancing on the Plan and I hope it will be finalised in the first quarter of 2017.

Ireland also continues to engage in EU and UN discussions aimed at promoting the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Officials from my Department participated in the fifth UN Annual Forum on Business and Human rights which was held in Geneva from 14 to 16 November 2016. This multi-stakeholder event created the opportunity to engage with representatives of other governments, civil society and the private sector and to reaffirm our collective commitment to the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.