Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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22. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 28 of 1 May 2025, and 6 of 20 February 2025, if the action plan on business and human rights has now been published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32968/25]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and my Department 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.

The Stakeholder Forum has met twice, proving invaluable in shaping the draft Plan. At the second Stakeholder Forum meeting, officials outlined the draft action points forming the basis of the new Plan. Following this meeting, stakeholder members provided further written feedback to be considered. This feedback continues to be reviewed across all relevant Government Departments to ensure the identified actions are deliverable during the lifetime of the plan.

As many of the suggested actions relate to the work of other Government Departments, we await their agreed inputs to move forward with a set of actions that are feasible, actionable and specific in place. Officials from my Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade continue to liaise with the relevant officials across Government. It is taking some time to work through the suggested updated actions with these officials as some of the updates are technical in nature. This work continues, and we are nearing its completion. Once a final set of actions is agreed with other Government Departments, it can then be presented to the Stakeholder Forum for their views.

Nearly all of the actions under Pillar I and Pillar II have been agreed or are being finalised, the majority of which are being brought forward by my Department or the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. However, officials continue to engage with relevant Departments to agree and finalise actions under Pillar III, Access to Remedy. There was a clear call from stakeholders for meaningful actions to be included under this pillar and we are striving to reflect this in the Plan. While it has taken longer than expected to complete this work, I do think it is important that time was taken to ensure we can present an ambitious plan with clear, deliverable actions. The updated actions will be presented at the third Stakeholder Forum which is expected to take place after the summer and launched soon thereafter.

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 have key performance indicators which will have assigned responsibilities and timelines to adhere to. I expect this to bring human rights to the fore in the minds of Irish businesses so they can demonstrate their conscientious performance as required by the public.