Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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307. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress made by his Department in respect of its targets and goals set out in Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development under the policy remit of his Department; if these targets and goals will be met by their respective deadlines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7279/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has adopted a ‘whole-of-Government’ approach to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with each Minister having responsibility for implementing individual SDG targets related to their functions. The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) has responsibility for promoting the SDGs, and for overseeing their coherent implementation across Government.

Under the current National Implementation Plan, my Department is responsible for leading implementation in respect of 65 of the 169 targets. These range across the Sustainable Development Goals and, given the integrated nature of the SDGs, often involve collaboration with other Government Departments.

The SDGs are mainstreamed across my Department's work in accordance with 'The Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World' and 'A Better World: Ireland’s Policy for International Development'. The Department works to achieve progress towards the targets on which it leads, for example through the Government’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme, and in international forums for SDG implementation, particularly the United Nations system.

A key tool for tracking national SDG progress is the Voluntary National Review process at the UN High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development. Ireland will present its next Voluntary National Review in 2023. This will outline Ireland’s progress on SDG achievement since our first Voluntary National Review in July 2018. In terms of specific progress in my own Department, I would highlight that my Department's Annual Report and the Irish Aid Annual Report. These are not specific SDG reporting instruments but do outline significant elements of the Department's work toward achieving the SDG targets.

At national level, a renewed focus is currently being given to progress Ireland’s commitment to Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Substantial progress has been achieved in recent months in reviewing Ireland’s implementation of Agenda 2030 and identifying key priorities and actions for inclusion in the next National Implementation Plan. It is intended that the draft Plan will be made available shortly and form the basis of discussion at the next SDG National Stakeholder Forum. This will allow for a final round of input from stakeholders prior to finalisation and publication. My Department continues to be actively engaged in this process.