Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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19. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the need for greater urgency in the implementation of the strategic development goals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48421/17]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The 2030 Agenda, with seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), was adopted by world leaders at the UN in 2015. This landmark global agreement, negotiated by Ireland and Kenya, provides the framework for sustainable development globally. Given their universal nature, Ireland’s implementation of the SDGs is being undertaken domestically, as well as through the work of my Department in supporting Lesser Developed Countries in their efforts.

Effective implementation of the SDGs at national level requires a broad and integrated domestic policy response, as well as engagement by a broad range of stakeholders. To this end, an Inter-Departmental Senior Officials Group, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, and an Inter-Departmental Working Group, chaired by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, are now taking forward the work in developing Ireland’s National SDG Implementation Plan 2018-20, to be finalised early next year.

Ireland will be one of 48 countries to voluntarily present a national review of implementation of the SDGs at the July 2018 UN High Level Political Forum. We have seen from the national reviews last year that progress is evident in the implementation of the SDGs. National governments are strongly committed to the transformative agenda and to leaving no one behind. At the same time, many challenges remain and over 760 million people globally continue to live on less than $1.90 a day, compounded by conflict and fragility in different parts of the world.

We will continue our strong role in addressing these challenges with the urgency they deserve, and in the domestic implementation of the SDGs with other Departments.