On May 28 Coalition 2030 held its 2nd Plenary meeting for the year. It was notable in that our Chair for the Past 18 months, Sandra Corrigan was stepping down as per our terms of reference. Each Chair is supposed to be in place for 12 months but there was a necessity for Sandra to stay on due to the lack of co-ordinator being in place. Our ship has now steadied thanks in many ways ways to the work put in by the outgoing Chair. In her opening remarks to the Plenary Sandra welcomed everybody and asked what can we bring to the HLPF in July as well as renewing and deepening our commitment to the SDG’s. Full text of the speech is below.
“Thank you for giving your time to be here today. Your input is hugely important to the conversations we will have throughout this plenary. Today we will focus on several key areas:
the messages Coalition 2030 will bring to the High-Level Political Forum this July;
how we can renew and deepen commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals;
and how we can advance work towards Ireland’s third National Implementation Plan for the SDGs.
As many of you know, the previous implementation plan expired at the end of 2024. While there have understandably been competing priorities, including preparations for the EU Presidency, the need for a renewed and ambitious national plan remains critical. Without it, we risk fragmentation, losing hope of the policy coherence and joined-up approach needed to deliver on the SDGs in any meaningful way.
We also want to begin an important conversation today about the post-2030 landscape: what comes next, what kind of future we want to build, and how we ensure long-term thinking remains central to policymaking. This links closely with our ongoing work to advance and secure a Future Generations Commissioner for Ireland.
Alongside these discussions, we will also hear from inspiring speakers and projects during the day. I am particularly looking forward to Catherine’s sharing with us about the Tralee Bay Blue Dot Documentary and Peter Baxter’s – Rubbish Film Festival — two projects that demonstrate the power of creativity, local action and public engagement in building awareness and inspiring change.
As you will have seen from the agenda, we will also elect a new Chair for the Steering Committee today. Before that, I want to sincerely thank all of you for your support over the past year and a half. Coalition 2030 is powered by the commitment of people who already have demanding jobs, organisations, responsibilities and personal commitments, yet still give their time voluntarily to advance our shared vision of a fairer, more sustainable and more equal world.
It has been a privilege to serve as Chair, and I am delighted now to pass the role on. I also want to acknowledge Niall, who has become firmly established as Coordinator and has approached the role with tremendous energy — engaging members, meeting government officials, engaging with the Taoiseach, and managing the often unseen work that keeps a growing coalition functioning day to day.
I would encourage everyone to continue strengthening the coalition:
Invite Niall and Coalition 2030 into relevant meetings and conversations;
Share events and opportunities that may connect with our work;
Amplify Coalition 2030 activities through your own networks;
Even the simple responses or acknowledgements, can help sustain momentum and remind that this collective work matters.
We are meeting today at a deeply uncertain moment globally. The world increasingly feels caught between the rule of law and the rule of the jungle. We know that international law and institutions, human rights frameworks and multilateral cooperation are under immense strain. Were these systems ever perfect? No. Did they often favour the Global North? Yes. But the alternative we are witnessing — impunity, occupation, genocide, violence, the destruction of civilian life, bombing, maiming, the erosion of international responsibility and growing indifference concerns us all. (Quite frankly it terrifies me).
At the same time, we are seeing development and solidarity programmes weakened or deprioritised, while economic and political power continue to dominate decision-making. A world economy that grows to be billions of euro, richer has no guarantee of happy, healthy, housed citizens where basic human rights including to clean water, nutrition, health care, decent work, education, wellbeing are met.
A wealthier global economy does not automatically mean people are safe or able to live with dignity.
The SDGs remind us that development must ultimately be about people, communities and planet — about building societies, not simply growing economies.
That is why today matters. Our conversations matter. Our collective voice matters. Our work matters more now than ever, most especially when it feels more hopeless than before. We need to push through. This is a time for renewed ambition, determined solidarity and action. Yesterday is gone. Our tomorrow is not guaranteed. What we do now is what is important, what we control and what will shape the future. Today matters, our conversations and our agreed actions. Let us make the most of today!
Thank you, and I wish you all a thoughtful and productive plenary.