Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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217. To ask the Minister for Finance the specific steps his Department is taking to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals into the preparation of Budget 2026; how alignment with the 2030 Agenda is being assessed during the budgetary process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35065/25]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As set out in my Department’s Statement of Strategy, the Department is committed to Ireland’s National Implementation Plan which focuses on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Second National Implementation Plan for the Sustainable Development Goals was published in October 2022. The Plan sets out over 50 actions and over 100 individual measures to increase Ireland’s ambition and strengthen implementation structures.

My Department publishes its annual Beyond GDP – Quality of Life Assessment on budget day to provide a more holistic view of the impact of budgetary policy on economic, social and environmental well-being in Ireland. The report outlines the progress being made on Ireland’s Well-being Framework, the distributional analysis of the budget package, the role of the tax and welfare system in reducing poverty and inequality, as well as updates on equality and climate budgeting.

The Budget 2025: Beyond GDP report also included an assessment of national and international progress on the delivery of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. A link to last years’ document can be found at www.gov.ie/en/department-of-finance/publications/budget-2025-beyond-gdp-quality-of-life-assessment/