Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020
399. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the commitment to the sustainable development goals will be reflected in his Department's Strategy and Work Plan 2020-2025; his plans to monitor and report annually on progress towards achieving the goals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19119/20]
View answerMy Department’s Statement of Strategy for 2021-2025, which is currently being prepared, and the relevant business plans, will continue to reflect the centrality of the SDGs and Ireland’s commitment to Agenda 2030.
Ireland played a unique and central role in the process to agree Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as co-chair, alongside Kenya of the final intergovernmental negotiations. The SDG vision of a safer, more peaceful, equal and sustainable world is reflected in Ireland’s foreign policy and underpin Ireland’s international development policy, A Better World.
There is a whole-of-Government approach to SDG implementation to the implementation of the SDGs at home, and to contribute to their achievement internationally, so that no one is left behind.
Overall political oversight for Ireland's SDG implementation is provided through the Cabinet, with each Minister having specific responsibility for implementing individual SDG targets related to their Ministerial functions. An interdepartmental working group coordinates action across Government on the SDGs and officials from my Department participate in this as well as the national SDG stakeholder forum. My Department is of course also actively engaged in international forums in SDG implementation particularly through the United Nations system.
As part of the follow-up and review arrangements, countries deliver national SDG progress reports (or Voluntary National Reviews) to the UN High Level Political Forum (HLPF), the main body charged with assessing progress towards the SDGs globally. Ireland presented its first Voluntary National Review to the HLPF in July 2018: the next Voluntary National Review is due in 2022. In reporting at both HLPF and national levels, Ireland uses the official EU SDG indicator set to assess its SDG progress, while also presenting the national policy measures and frameworks through which Ireland is implementing these SDGs. At this year’s virtual HLPF, my colleague Minister Ryan reiterated the Government’s commitment to meeting the ambitious targets set in Agenda 2030.
