SDG Stakeholder Forum
Croke Park Sept 9th 2025
3rd National Implementation Plan for the Irish Implementation of the SDGs at home and abroad.
Embedded Files
Published Agenda
This agenda outlines the program for the SDG Stakeholder Forum, which marks the official launch of the process to develop the Third National Implementation Plan (NIP) for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) both domestically and internationally.
The Second NIP would now be updated in consultation with all stakeholders.
Opening Remarks
The Forum commenced with an address from Minister Dooley of the Department of Climate, Energy, and Environment. While his remarks struck the right tone rhetorically, the reality remains that the Government’s efforts on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have fallen short. The SDG Unit within the Department demonstrates strong commitment to its mandate; however, it is notable that the SDGs are not referenced in the Department’s title, and that the Minister only met with the Unit some time after assuming his current role.
With just five years remaining to deliver on the 2030 Agenda, this moment might have provided an opportunity to announce a shift of responsibility for the SDGs to the Department of An Taoiseach. As was noted later in the morning, this Department holds greater authority and may be better positioned to elevate the goals and ensure they receive the sustained political attention they merit.
The Minister emphasised that the Stakeholder Forum represents a key opportunity for civil society and other actors to contribute to the development of the Third National Implementation Plan (NIP). He underlined that sound policy cannot be made in isolation, stressing the importance of both in-person and online consultation.
At the most recent UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), Minister Dara O’Brien reaffirmed Ireland’s ongoing commitment to the implementation of the SDGs (link available here).
Context and Challenges
The Minister acknowledged the significant global and domestic challenges currently facing Ireland, including proposed tariffs, conflicts, and broader geopolitical instability. He noted that many countries are increasingly retreating from multilateralism. In this context, Ireland’s approach to implementing the SDGs continues to be framed as a whole-of-government strategy.
As we look ahead to NIP3, it is essential to reflect on the lessons from NIP 2 to ensure that our efforts remain firmly grounded in the principles underpinning the SDGs. The consultation process will unfold in several phases, designed to be participatory and inclusive. Civil society, in particular, will be encouraged to engage actively in shaping NIP3, ensuring their perspectives directly inform the process.
Policy Coherence and Next Steps
A central aim remains to strengthen Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD). Identifying and addressing the gaps between current policy and the ambition of the SDGs will be vital to building inclusive, sustainable, and resilient progress.
The Minister concluded by noting that Department officials were present not to direct proceedings but to listen. He departed shortly thereafter.
The youngest attendee taking notes for his mammy!
A key message from all at Altogether in Dignity in Ireland.
Next up was Aisling Maloney, our UN Youth Delegate (a Pres. Girl, from Thurles, she told me!).
Aisling’s Contribution
Aisling highlighted the active role of young people in both campaigning and volunteering. However, she noted that those with the greatest potential to contribute are too often excluded due to barriers such as geography, financial constraints, or other factors. She also emphasised that the credibility of youth voices is frequently undermined, with their perspectives dismissed despite being grounded in lived experience.
Further details of Aisling’s contribution can be found in the slides she presented below.
Whilst the youth are interested in all the SDGs there are some that lend themselves more obviously to the issues that move and disturb young people.
APT at the Stakeholder Forum Sr. Dr. Liz Murphy RSM and Brian O' Toole representing the Presentation Sisters were in attendance. Also in the photos above were Clare Glavey of Global Village and Paula Lynch, Department Official.
A Fortuitous Meeting
During the Forum, I had an informal exchange with a Department Official who was promoting the use of SMURFs as a tool to communicate the SDGs in schools and beyond. The concept envisions linking each SDG with educational lessons in both Irish and English. I was able to connect the Official with the Global Citizenship School, which has already developed relevant lesson materials.
In the breakout sessions, participants raised—often passionately—the concern that education and awareness on the SDGs remain inadequate. Indeed, a recent poll revealed that only 26% of respondents had even heard of the SDGs.
Presentation by Mary Smith
Mary Smith of the Central Statistics Office emphasised that one of the key strengths of the SDGs lies in their measurability and the ability to compare progress consistently across countries.
Progress on the SDGs
One of the most significant slides presented today illustrated Ireland’s comparative performance on the SDGs within the EU. The numbers correspond to individual SDGs, while their position indicates Ireland’s standing relative to EU peers.
Ireland’s strongest performance is on SDG 4 (Quality Education). While this is an achievement to be acknowledged, it is important to note that part of this result also reflects the relatively lower progress made by many other EU Member States. Above the horizontal red line indicates areas where Ireland performs above the EU average. By contrast, SDGs 5 (Gender Equality), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), 13 (Climate Action), and 14 (Life Below Water) remain areas requiring significant improvement.
The slide also included a yellow vertical line: positions to the right of the line signal progress moving closer to the SDG targets, whereas those to the left highlight areas where greater efforts are required.
None of this information is new; the Government is fully aware of these gaps. However, because the SDGs are voluntary, there are no sanctions for slow progress or inaction, even when the pathway to sustainable development is clearly mapped out.
A summary of overall EU progress on the SDGs is provided below.
The Central Statistics Office produces a set of graphics, each taking one SDG and publishing and Irish summary of the measurable details. I include these below!
Presentation by Fiona McManus
Before the first breakout session—focused on reflecting on the challenges and progress of the Second National Implementation Plan—we heard from Fiona McManus of the SDG Unit within the Department of Climate, Energy, and Environment. She highlighted the following points:
Ireland’s long-standing commitment to the SDGs was carefully and skilfully negotiated by Ambassador David Donoghue, who was present at the Forum.
Each Government Department has a nominated SDG lead.
The SDG Policy Map is currently being updated.
The Know SDGs tool allows users to upload documents to assess the extent to which they are “SDG-proofed.”
Current SDG Initiatives
SDG Champions and Ambassadors will be announced in Q4 2025, followed by an event later in the year to mark achievements.
SDG Week: The SSDN website currently lists almost 200 SDG-related events nationwide, with hopes to surpass this number.
The OECD PCSD Scan of Ireland recognised efforts in wellbeing initiatives and noted the presence of robust structures to support future progress.
The updated SDG Policy Map will serve as a key tool for guiding implementation.
Finally, Fiona announced that the next Stakeholder Forum will take place at University College Cork on 2 December 2025.
Much of her presentation is available in the slides provided below.
Padraig O Connell at the Department of An Taoiseach: - A non-speech really!
Role of the Department of An Taoiseach
The Taoiseach will attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in late September, where the SDGs will feature prominently.
The Department of An Taoiseach holds overall responsibility for monitoring and ensuring the integration of the SDGs across all Government Departments. This work requires a collaborative and participatory approach.
A Senior Officials Group on the SDGs, chaired by the Department of An Taoiseach, meets periodically to review progress and address challenges and impediments.
(A non-speech really!)
A few photos taken on the way home!
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