Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 October 2023
14. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 51 of 29 June 2023, for a status update on his Department's engagement with the Department of Foreign Affairs with a view to developing a new business and human rights action plan and implementation body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44203/23]
View answerI recognise the importance of businesses having a focus on human rights. It is now expected by society that businesses consider how their operations can impact on human rights. Businesses have reacted well since Ireland launched its first National Plan on Business and Human Rights (2017 -2020) towards the end of 2017.
Ireland became the 19th state in the world to develop a National Plan. In December 2021, a review of the implementation of the Plan was brought to Government. It found that over 91% of commitments under the Plan were achieved, with plans to implement the remainder.
Stakeholder engagement is an important part of developing the second National Plan. In advance of initiating the new forum, a public consultation was launched in the summer and closed last month seeking the opinions of interested stakeholders to inform the development of the second Plan. Eleven submissions, from business representatives, trade unions, human rights organisations and academia, were received as part of a public consultation process which took place over the summer. The Department of Foreign Affairs and my Department are currently reviewing these submissions, which include a range of recommendations on the scope of the plan and monitoring and implementation structures.
Our Departments are working together to re-convene a Business and Human Rights stakeholder forum, involving representatives of Government, civil society and business, including officials from my own Department. Both Departments are in the process of identifying participants for this group, which will include business representatives. It is expected that the stakeholder group will convene a meeting shortly to discuss common themes emerging from the submissions and determine a viable pathway forward for the development and implementation of a second Plan.
The new Plan is expected to cover a multi-annual timeframe as was covered in the first Plan. The new National Plan is intended to build on the achievements of the first National Plan, while reflecting new developments in the international understanding of business and human rights, including new EU instruments. It will also align with the commitment in the Programme for Government to ‘ensure that the Action Plan on Business and Human Rights is further developed to review whether there is a need for greater emphasis on mandatory due diligence’.
