Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

85. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 480 of 9 September 2024, when the next meeting of the business and human rights stakeholder forum will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43357/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment established a dedicated Business and Human Rights Stakeholder Forum with the participation of individuals with relevant expertise and responsibilities from key organisations across business, civil society, trade unions and academia to assist with the development of the second National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights.

Following the first meeting of the Forum, the two Departments presented a set of draft action points forming the basis of the new National Plan to stakeholders at the second Forum meeting in June this year. Stakeholder members were provided the opportunity to present written feedback to be considered. This feedback is being reviewed across relevant Government Departments to ensure the actions are deliverable during the lifetime of the plan.

As many of the suggested actions relate to the work of other Government Departments, it is important their feedback is received to understand their respective positions and to put in place a set of actions that are feasible, actionable and specific. Officials from my Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs continue to liaise with the relevant officials across Government. It is taking time to work through the suggested updated actions as some of the updates are technical in nature. This work is ongoing and once complete, it will be presented to the Stakeholder Forum. No date has been confirmed for the next meeting of the Forum.

The finalised plan will cover a multi-annual timeframe and will reflect new developments in the international understanding of business and human rights, including new EU instruments. It will also align with the commitment in the Programme for Government to ‘ensure that the Action Plan on Business and Human Rights is further developed to review whether there is a need for greater emphasis on mandatory due diligence’.