I announced, during the debate on the Investment of the National Pensions Reserve Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2009 last March, that the preparation of the draft legislation provided an opportunity to consider once again the position regarding ethical investment and that I would establish an Interdepartmental Committee to examine the issues further and to report to me.
The Committee has been established and includes representatives of the Ministers for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Foreign Affairs, as well as officials from my Department and representatives of the National Treasury Management Agency as Manager of the NPRF.
The Committee, which has held a number of meetings and has considered submissions from civil society organisations, is preparing a report which is expected to be finalised shortly.