Lead from the top by strengthening SDG governance ^______

Currently, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has overall responsibility for Ireland’s SDG National Implementation Plan through the SDG Unit. In order to demonstrate the political ambition and leadership required for the achievement of the SDGs, the Department of An Taoiseach should have overall responsibility for oversight and implementation.

We call on the Government to:

Fully resource the SDG Unit and move it to the Department of An Taoiseach.

Ensure Government departments are held accountable for the delivery of the SDGs at target level by mandating all Government Ministers to report annually on their progress towards the SDGs to both houses of the Oireachtas, and their respective Joint Committees.

Expedite the use of a policy coherence mechanism – defined by the OECD as “the systematic promotion of mutually reinforcing policy actions” – and Mandate its use at national and local levels of government to address policy silos and ensure Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD).