Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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195. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Ireland was represented at the Second World Summit for Social Development 2025, held in Doha; if so, the composition of the Irish delegation; the purpose and outcomes of Ireland's participation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63526/25]

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Ireland was represented at the Second World Summit for Social Development, with a delegation led by Minister of State for Community and Rural Development, Gaeltacht and Rural Transport, Jerry Buttimer, T.D. The delegation also included Ireland’s Ambassador accredited to Qatar, and officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The objective of the summit was to agree global actions to address profound social challenges that persist in today’s world, including poverty eradication, promotion of full and productive employment, and social integration. The focus of the summit resonated strongly with the priorities of the Government's international development cooperation policy, A Better World.

Minister Buttimer delivered a national statement on behalf of Ireland, which emphasised the importance of global commitments to progress on social development, citing Ireland’s own social development history and the important role of social protection for social inclusion and equality. The Minister of State also spoke at a high-level round table, highlighting the importance of staying the course on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and of addressing gaps in social protection coverage in order to make further progress on social development globally.

Over the course of the three-day summit, over 250 side events took place at the conference venue. Ireland cosponsored and participated in six events which focused on themes of social protection, decent jobs, gender and social development, food systems, girls education, disability inclusion and humanitarian response.

The World Social Summit outcome document was agreed by consensus at the United Nations. It is an important call to action on the three pillars of social development: poverty eradication, full and productive employment and decent work for all, and social integration.