Human Rights Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 April 2013

Tuesday, 23 April 2013

Ceisteanna (164)

Seán Crowe

Ceist:

164. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade with regard to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, if he will indicate which Govrernment Departments and agencies will be taking part in the formulation of a national plan for their implementation and which Departments will have overall responsibility; if he will provide a timetable as to when the national plan will be completed, in view of the request by the European Commission that these be submitted by the end of 2012. [19107/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

On 16 June 2011, the UN Human Rights Council endorsed "Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations ‘Protect, Respect and Remedy’ Framework”. The Guiding Principles cover a range of issues which, in this State, span the policy responsibilities of a number of Government Departments and agencies. The Commission Communication of October 2011, entitled “A renewed EU strategy 2011-14 for Corporate Social Responsibility” invited EU member States to develop national plans for the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles by the end of 2012. The EU Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, adopted by the Council of the European Union in June 2012, asked member States to develop national plans on the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles in 2013. Consideration is being given as to how to address the Guiding Principles and how to best go about formulating our national action plan for their implementation. I would hope that Government Departments will be in a position to take this forward after the conclusion of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.