Written answers
Thursday, 24 October 2024
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Enterprise Policy
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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87. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 479 of 9 September 2024, the status of the development of the next Action Plan on Business and Human Rights; when the plan will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43213/24]
Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I recognise the importance of businesses having a focus on human rights in their operations as there is a strong expectation from society to do so. Businesses have reacted well since Ireland launched its first National Plan on Business and Human Rights (2017 - 2020) towards the end of 2017.
Ireland became the 19th state in the world to develop a National Plan. In December 2021, a review of the implementation of the Plan was brought to Government. It found that over 91% of commitments under the Plan were achieved, with plans to implement the remainder.
The new Plan is expected to cover a multi-annual timeframe as was covered in the first Plan. It is intended to build on the achievements of the first National Plan, while reflecting 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 National Plan on Business and Human Rights ‘is further developed to review whether there is a need for greater emphasis on mandatory due diligence’.
Last year, following a public consultation process on the framing of a second National Plan, the Business and Human Rights Stakeholder Forum was established to bring together representatives from Government, civil society, trade unions, business and academia. The second meeting of the Forum was held on 6 June 2024 where the draft proposed actions were discussed. Forum members subsequently offered detailed written feedback concerning the actions, which reflect the three-pillar structure of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and officials from my Department continue to engage with other Government Departments to address the feedback from stakeholders, some of which is technical in nature, to effectively take forward the most appropriate actions prior to any further meeting of the Forum. This includes bilateral discussions with individual Departments to address the feedback received and establish concrete actions, which are ongoing. Following this process, a more complete draft will be presented at the Forum for agreement. A date for the next meeting is yet to be confirmed, nor is a date for publication finalised.
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