Coalition 2030, a leading alliance of organisations committed to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Ireland and globally, has issued a measured response to the draft Programme for Government (PfG). While welcoming the newly formed government’s commitment to accelerating progress on the SDGs and integrating them into national policies, the Coalition stresses the urgent need for clear measures and ambitious actions to address gaps in the proposed strategy.

David Rossiter, Coordinator of Coalition 2030, stated: “We welcome the new government’s recognition of the importance of accelerating Ireland’s progress toward the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. However, the government must now outline concrete measures to achieve this acceleration. The urgency to act cannot be overstated, as the timeline to 2030 coincides with the next government’s term, making this a critical window for impactful change. The time for broad commitments has passed; we need a clear roadmap detailing how these goals will be met across all sectors of society.”

The Coalition also welcomes the government’s pledge to “implement a Whole-of-Government Strategy to fully integrate the SDGs into national policies and initiatives.” Rossiter added, “To avoid the risk of siloed implementation, we urge the government to move the SDG unit into the Department of the Taoiseach. This would ensure cohesive leadership and integration of the SDGs across all government departments and policies,” he said.

While the draft PfG includes some commendable commitments, Sandra Corrigan, Chair of Coalition 2030’s Steering Committee, expressed concern over the lack of detailed measures in critical areas such as climate action.

“Members of the Coalition welcome the government’s focus on ensuring our communities thrive, making our villages, towns, and cities safer, and fostering a caring society, while also continuing to increase ODA to 0.7% Gross National Income”, Corrigan said. “These are crucial steps in addressing poverty and social exclusion domestically and internationally. However, the PfG falls short in its approach to climate. Without sufficient detail regarding policies and measures to reduce emissions at the scale and speed required, we risk undermining the commitments made under the SDGs.”

The Coalition highlighted that climate action is integral to achieving the SDGs. The group called on the government to prioritise transformative policies that significantly cut emissions and address the intersecting crises of biodiversity loss and environmental degradation. As a broad alliance of civil society organisations, trade unions, businesses, and academic institutions, Coalition 2030 remains committed to working with the government to fully realise the SDGs.

“This draft Programme for Government presents an opportunity to embed sustainability and equity into Ireland’s policies at all levels,” Corrigan concluded. “We look forward to collaborating with policymakers to turn these commitments into tangible actions that benefit Ireland and the global community.”