OECD Policy Coherence Scan of Ireland

Annex A. Ireland’s Second National Implementation Plan (NIP) for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Table A A.1. An overview of the 51 actions included in Ireland’s Second NIP for the SDGs

Measure no.	Measure details
Action 1	Review of Interdepartmental Working Group (IDWG) practices.
1(a)	Review current IDWG functions to ensure they are aligned with the objectives of this Implementation Plan, and update the IDWG’s Terms of Reference (TORs) as necessary.
1(b)	Request updated nominations for IDWG members from all lead Departments based on new TORs and position criteria.
1(c)	Ensure all IDWG content on gov.ie including meeting agendas and minutes are published and up to date.
1(d)	Development of a shared site to support the work of the IDWG.
Action 2	Publish a list of points of contact for all Government Departments.
2(a)	Request nominations for SDG points of contact from Government Departments and upload a consolidated list on gov.ie.
Action 3	Review of the SDG statistical reporting process.
3(a)	Examine the current reporting process and the development of reporting templates and guidance information to ensure a consistent analysis of indicator data and consistent policy input from all Departments into SDG statistical progress reports.
3(b)	Publications for each of the 17 UN SDG data.
3(c)	Ensure SDG statistical progress reports are developed, updated and published annually.
3(d)	Continued Incorporation and use of EU and OECD indicators in the SDG statistical reporting process.
3(e)	Continued measuring of National indicators in the SDG statistical reporting process.
Action 4	Review reporting and oversight role of Oireachtas Committees.
4(a)	Engage with Oireachtas Committees to review SDG reporting and oversight role.
Action 5	Ireland’s annual representation at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) for Sustainable Development.
5(a)	Attendance and Ministerial representation at the UN High-Level Political Forum, including preparation of National Statement.
Action 6	Representation and input on behalf of Ireland at the EU Working Party on Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.
6(a)	Attendance at monthly meetings of the EU Working Party on Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.
Action 7	Preparation of Ireland’s second Voluntary National Review (VNR) to take place in 2023.
7(a)	Attend Global webinars and VNR workshops.
7(b)	Develop a VNR roadmap and consultation on the VNR process.
7(c)	Identify potential EU member states for peer review.
7(d)	Develop draft VNR structure and format for presentation to Stakeholder Forum.
7(e)	Following stakeholder input, finalise Ireland’s second VNR for delivery at the UN High-Level Political Forum session in 2023.
7(f)	Delivery of Ireland’s 2nd VNR at the UN High-Level Political Forum session in 2023.
Action 8	Support the development of the second Joint Synthesis Report of the European Union.
8(a)	Provide input at preliminary discussions on the development and drafting of the EU Voluntary Review ahead of the presentation at the HLPF 2023.
Action 9	Develop formal mechanisms to monitor and drive the implementation of Ireland’s second NIP for the SDGs.
9(a)	Develop and implement reporting mechanisms to capture progress achieved on all actions and measures within Ireland’s second NIP for the SDGs.
9(b)	Develop reporting templates and a central repository to simplify and streamline the reporting process.
9(c)	Publish annual update on all actions and measures due for delivery within Ireland’s second NIP for the SDGs.
Action 10	Develop and implement a reporting mechanism to capture SDG Implementation Progress at the target level.
10(a)	Develop SDG-target reporting mechanism to capture SDG implementation progress at the target level.
10(b)	Reports completed by lead Departments linking work and activities to support high-level reviews of SDG target activity and prioritisation across Government.
Action 11	In all new Statements of Strategy, reaffirm the commitment of the Department to Agenda 2030 and reference any SDG/target the Department is leading on.
11(a)	Include a commitment to Agenda 2030 in all new Statements of Strategy and reference to the SDGs that the Department is leading on where relevant.
Action 12	Provide information in Departmental Annual reports on Departments’ key activities to promote or progress the SDGs and how they are implementing targets where relevant.
12(a)	Include an update on SDG activities and progress, including at the target level where relevant, in Departmental Annual Reports.
Action 13	Assess the potential to introduce the requirement to examine the impacts of proposals on the SDGs in the regulatory impact analysis (RIA) process.
13(a)	Research international best practice for incorporating the SDGs into the RIA process.
13(b)	Develop a set of recommendations for incorporating the SDGs into the RIA process in an Irish context.
13(c)	Seek Government approval of the proposals to incorporate the SDGs into the RIA process.
Action 14	Assess the potential to introduce the requirement to examine the impacts of proposals on the SDGs in all Memoranda to Government.
14(a)	Research international best practice for incorporating the SDGs into Memoranda to the Government.
14(b)	Develop a set of recommendations for incorporating the SDGs into Memoranda to the Government.
14(c)	Seek Government approval of the proposals to incorporate the SDGs into Memoranda to the Government.
Action 15	Develop SDG tagging system on public consultations on gov.ie.
15(a)	Review the current consultation page functionally to determine an appropriate solution to capture SDG linkages with the public consultation process.
Action 16	Consider the potential to integrate the SDGs into the budgetary process.
16(a)	Examine international best practice for SDG budgeting.
16(b)	Review current green budgeting, equality budgeting and proposals re: well-being budgeting processes, and assess the potential for SDG expenditure tracking nationally.
Action 17	Development of a bespoke eLearning module for roll-out to all civil servants.
17(a)	Procure appropriate course developer to design SDG eLearning training for roll-out across the Civil Service.
17(b)	Finalise course content and roll-out across the Civil Service.
Action 18	Incorporate the SDGs into the One Learning Policymaking Gen 2 course.
18(a)	Engage with One Learning to explore the inclusion of an SDG-focused module as part of the development of the Policymaking Gen 2 course.
Action 19	Development of a Civil Service SDG toolkit.
19(a)	Review current integration of SDGs into Departmental work, identify existing examples of best practice, and prepare recommendations to support further SDG integration across Government.
19(b)	Procure toolkit developer to design bespoke toolkit to support training and engagement activities for roll out across the Civil Service.
19(c)	Finalise toolkit content and roll out across the Civil Service.
Action 20	Issue a circular setting out the responsibilities of Departments and civil servants in respect of the SDGs.
20(a)	Issue a circular clearly setting out the specific responsibilities of Departments and civil servants in respect of the SDGs.
Action 21	Assess the potential to tailor the SDG training course and toolkit for State Agencies.
21(a)	Assess the potential to tailor the SDG training course and toolkit for State Agencies and identify the best method for delivery and roll-out.
Action 22	Incorporation of the SDGs into the Civil Service Excellence awards.
22(a)	Incorporation of SDG branding into the Civil Service Excellence awards.
22(b)	Review the awards application process and explore solutions on how to map applicant project work against the SDGs.
22(c)	Evaluate the potential for the inclusion of a specific SDG Award Category.
Action 23	All new national policies to incorporate reference to relevant SDGs and targets.
23(a)	All new national policies to incorporate reference to relevant SDGs and targets and reflect how the policy interacts with Agenda 2030.
Action 24	Identify and apply for funding to obtain OECD support in the areas of policy coherence.
24(a)	Apply for TSI funding for OECD support with Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD) SDG target 17.10.
24(b)	Identify other relevant funding opportunities.
Action 25	Consider the applicability of existing policy mapping tools in the Irish context.
25(a)	Identify and review existing policy mapping tools to ascertain suitability for use in the Irish context.
25(b)	Depending on the outcome of 25(a), develop guidance for national policymakers on available tools and how to use.
Action 26	Local Authority SDG training.
26(a)	Identify and review existing training initiatives to assess potential inclusion of learnings/resources into overall Local Authority SDG training and identify areas which require further development.
26(b)	Develop SDG training to be made available to and rolled out across all Local Authorities for Local Authority staff, councillors and the Association of Irish Local Government.
Action 27	Development of a Local Authority SDG toolkit.
27(a)	Development of an SDG toolkit for all Local Authority staff, tailored to specific areas of work and showcasing practical information on SDG incorporation and implementation.
Action 28	Establishment of an SDG network or incorporation of the SDGs into an existing Network(s).
28(a)	Liaise with the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) to review existing Local Authority Networks to determine if SDGs can be incorporated or whether an SDG-specific Network is required to assist with the sharing of ideas and knowledge and showcase best practice.
28(b)	Based on the outcome of the assessment at 27a, liaise with the LGMA to implement the Local Authority mechanism for SDG knowledge sharing.
Action 29	Identify an SDG point of contact in each Local Authority.
29(a)	Liaise with the LGMA to consider where the role of SDG point of contact would best sit and at what level and to identify the profiles and responsibilities attached to the role.
Action 30	Incorporate the SDGs into new Guidelines and the 2025 Local Authority Corporate Plans.
30(a)	Audit of existing Corporate Plans to identify where and how the SDGs have been incorporated and highlight examples of best practice.
30(b)	Develop guidance on key Agenda 2030 considerations and SDG inclusion in the 2025-2031 Corporate Plans.
Action 31	Consider how best to report on work undertaken by Local Authorities which advances the SDGs.
31(a)	Liaise with the LGMA to review existing annual Local Authority reporting mechanisms across each Local Authority to assess solutions for the inclusion of the SDGs into the process.
Action 32	Incorporate the SDGs into all new City and County Development Plans (CCDP) and Local Economic and Community Plans (LECP).
32(b)	Incorporate the SDGs into all new CCDPs and LECPs, reflecting how the plan interacts with Agenda 2030.
Action 33	Undertake Ireland’s first Voluntary Local Review (VLR) in 2023.
33(a)	Identify and engage with parties interested in undertaking a VLR.
33(b)	Delivery of Ireland’s first VLR.
Action 34	Supporting a “whole of society” approach to achieving the SDGs through the National Stakeholder Forum.
34(a)	Establish an SDG Forum Committee to design an improved Forum format based on Stakeholder feedback.
34(b)	Ensure timely promotion of all upcoming Forum events, including registration details.
34(c)	Ensure all Forum content is published in an accessible and timely manner, including participation lists, agendas, facilitator notes and details of any resulting actions.
Action 35	SDG Champions Programme.
35(a)	Establish an SDG Champions Programme sub-group to develop an improved Programme format based on Public Consultation feedback.
35(b)	Develop resources to support SDG Champions, including a central repository for SDG brand assets, communication strategies and reporting templates to capture Champion activities.
35(c)	Launch an open call for applications to the 2023 Champions Programme.
35(d)	Select chosen Champions and publish full details on gov.ie.
35(e)	Showcase Champion activities on the SDG GeoHive, including end of programme review.
Action 36	Further development of Ireland’s SDG GeoHive.
36(a)	Carry out a full review of all content on the SDG GeoHive to ensure it is informative, accessible, and up-to-date.
36(b)	Explore opportunities to showcase SDG Community activity and highlight opportunities for individuals to take part and contribute, including details on SDG-specific Tidy Town awards.
36(c)	Develop an events area to provide an up-to-date calendar of events, highlighting news on SDG-related events taking place at global, national, and local levels.
36(d)	Develop a solution to showcase and include sector-specific resources and including for case studies.
36(e)	Increase public awareness of the SDG Data Hub, including the publication of SDG Statistical progress reports and upcoming events.
36(f)	Continued engagement with relevant stakeholders to develop and showcase SDG initiatives and activities.
36(g)	Ensure all content on the SDG GeoHive is maintained, informative, accessible and up-to-date.
Action 37	Improve stakeholder communications and engagement
37(a)	Develop a biannual SDG Newsletter and mailing list to improve stakeholder communications and engagement.
37(b)	Deliver up-to-date information on SDG implementation and engagement and showcase community activities through the publication of an SDG newsletter and targeted mailing list.
Action 38	Launch an SDG communications campaign to raise public awareness of the goals, their importance and relevance.
38(a)	Design a public awareness communications campaign.
38(b)	Launch a public awareness communications campaign.
Action 39	Establish a suitable mechanism to facilitate business sector engagement with the SDGs, which facilitates the linking of work where synergies and overlapping objectives arise.
39(a)	Assess existing relevant business sector fora and engagement mechanisms for the most appropriate means of continuing SDG engagement with business.
39(b)	Based on the outcome of the assessment at 1(a), integrate SDGs as a fixed agenda item in an existing business forum or through an alternative engagement mechanism.
Action 40	Develop and build effective civil society partnerships for the implementation of Agenda 2030.
40(a)	Continue to meet regularly with civil society representatives in order to develop effective partnerships and build on experience and knowledge.
40(b)	Include civil society representatives as part of the VNR process and in the Irish delegation to the HLPF.
Action 41	Support and facilitate the promotion and integration of the SDGs into the work of the PPNs.
41(a)	Consult with PPNs regarding the types of tools and knowledge-sharing mechanisms that would support the further integration of the SDGs into their work.
41(b)	Based on the outcome and recommendations at 38(a), develop relevant supports taking account of existing resources and tools.
Action 42	Further integration of the SDGs into the SuperValu Tidy Towns Competition.
42(a)	Further integrate the SDGs into the awards process.
42(b)	Further develop the SDG Special Award.
42(c)	Development of a centralised “Tidy Towns” area on the SDG Geohive, providing applicants with resource material and opportunities to showcase SDG initiatives.
Action 43	Map the Irish National Sports Policy (2018-2027) to Agenda 2030 and the SDGs.
43(a)	Map the Irish National Sports Policy (2018-2027) to the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs to capture and highlight its contribution.
Action 44	Raise the profile and understanding of the SDGs across public libraries.
44(a)	SDG Webinar for librarians to introduce the SDGs and Ireland’s national approach, share existing initiatives taking place in libraries and learn from international counterparts.
44(b)	Explore the potential to align Ireland’s new five-year library strategy with the SDGs.
44(c)	Explore the potential to begin mapping library activities to the SDGs and mapping related data.
44(d)	Libraries as a key stakeholder to feed into the VNR process.
Action 45	Launch an annual SDG week to be held in September in libraries across the country to mark the anniversary of Agenda 2030.
45(a)	Send resources and materials for use by libraries during SDG week.
45(b)	Plan and hold SDG events to mark SDG week.
45(c)	Development of a national communications strategy and communication tools for use during SDG week.
45(d)	Plan and hold SDG events to mark SDG week.
45(e)	Report on and showcase activities and events held.
Action 46	Incorporate the framework of Agenda 2030 as a consideration for the work of the Youth Participation structures.
46(a)	Consult with young people on how they would like the SDGs to be incorporated and linked with their work.
46(b)	Based on the outcome and recommendations of the consultation at 46(a), commence using methods to incorporate the SDGs into the work of youth participation structures.
46(c)	Updates from the youth participation structures to be provided to feed into SDG Annual Progress Reports.
Action 47	Bespoke youth consultation process to inform Ireland’s next Voluntary National Review Process.
47(a)	Develop consultation questions and objectives to seek feedback and recommendations.
47(b)	Design an inclusive consultation process which also targets groups of young people less often heard from.
47(c)	Design consultation process.
47(d)	Launch consultation process.
Action 48	Consider appropriate mechanisms to harness the expertise of higher education institutes to inform public policy with respect to implementation measures for Agenda 2030.
48(a)	Assess existing sector fora and engagement mechanisms in addition to considering the potential for new mechanisms for the most appropriate means for SDG engagement with higher education institutions.
48(b)	Ensure higher/further education representation on the new SDG Forum Committee.
Action 49	Identify and consider the links between the SDGs and the UNCRPD.
49(a)	Consider synergies between Agenda 2030 and the UNCRPD.
49(b)	Develop an approach that takes account of both sets of commitments.
Action 50	Promotion of greater engagement of persons with disabilities with the national stakeholder engagement mechanisms in line with UNCRPD Article 4(3).
50(a)	Circulate information on events among Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs) and other relevant organisations.
50(b)	Seek a nomination from a DPO for the new SDG Forum Committee.
50(c)	Work with the National Disability Authority to ensure mechanisms and communications are accessible and inclusive.
Action 51	Embedding the principle of Leave No One Behind into Ireland’s Agenda 2030 implementation mechanisms.
51(a)	Hold an SDG National Stakeholder Forum dedicated to the topic of Leave No One Behind, capturing learnings and next steps.
51(b)	Develop guidance on the principle of Leave No One Behind based on the outcomes of the National Stakeholder Forum, research and existing relevant tools and resources.
51(c)	Incorporate guidance into training and toolkits for civil servants and Local Authorities.

Source: Government of Ireland (2022[1]), National Implementation Plan for the Sustainable Development Goals 2022-2024, https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/e950f-national-implementation-plan-for-the-sustainable-development-goals-2022-2024/.

Reference

[1] Government of Ireland (2022), National Implementation Plan for the Sustainable Development Goals 2022-2024, https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/e950f-national-implementation-plan-for-the-sustainable-development-goals-2022-2024/.