Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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347. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the voluntary national review of the sustainable development goals which is due in July 2018; if he or his officials have consulted with NGOs, interest groups or stakeholders as part of this review; if so, the NGOs, interest groups and stakeholders consulted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18938/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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As Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, I have lead responsibility for promoting and overseeing the implementation of  the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on a whole-of-Government basis, and for the establishment of a robust SDG implementation and reporting framework. Ireland has committed to delivering its first Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the SDGs to the United Nations' High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development [HLPF] in July of this year. I will be delivering the VNR at the HLPF  and my Department is currently finalising the draft VNR, in consultation with the SDG Interdepartmental Working Group, which is comprised of representatives from all Government Departments. My Department has not formally or informally consulted with any stakeholder directly regarding the VNR to date, but intends to announce VNR consultation arrangements this week. The list of stakeholders who participate in that consultation exercise will be made publically available through my Department's website.

I launched Ireland’s first Sustainable Development Goals National Implementation Plan 2018 – 2020 (the Plan) on 26 April 2018. My Department prepared this first Plan, again in consultation with the SDG Interdepartmental Working Group.  In drafting the Plan, my Department carried out a stakeholder consultation in December 2017. While this consultation exercise related to the Plan and not the VNR directly, Ireland's approach to the VNR process is set out in the Plan and this would have informed stakeholders' responses. The list of stakeholders who provided my Department with feedback through this consultation exercise is set out in the following table.

In launching the Plan, I highlighted the importance of stakeholder engagement to support the effective implementation of the SDGs, which is why an SDG Stakeholder Forum will be established as a priority action under the Plan. My Department will seek to ensure that the widest practicable range of stakeholders are represented within the forum.