Ireland
Section 1: International Context and Domestic Consultative Process
Other international initiatives [page 11]
“The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Tripartite Declaration on Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy provides direct guidance to enterprises on social policy and inclusive, responsible and sustainable workplace practices.”
Section 2: Current legislative and Regulatory Framework
Anti-trafficking [page 14]
“In October 2016, the Government launched the second National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Human Trafficking. The plan contains 65 actions designed to crackdown on individuals and gangs involved in the crime, to support victims, to raise public awareness, and to enhance training for those likely to encounter victims.”
Section 3: Actions
II. Initial priorities for the Business and Human Rights Implementation Group [page 18]
“i. develop a practical toolkit on business and human rights for public and private entities within 12 months to assist them in their human rights due diligence
iii. Encourage and support awareness of effective human rights due diligence by State owned or controlled companies.
iv. Encourage and support effective human rights due diligence in the context of State support to business and NGOs.
vi. Provide clarity to relevant stakeholders on the applicable Irish law, reporting channels and protections for whistle-blowers/protected disclosures.
vii. Promote awareness of relevant multi-stakeholder and multilateral initiatives such as the UN global Compact, the Principles for Responsible investment and the Children’s Rights and Business Principles among state owned or controlled companies.
viii. Encourage business representative bodies to provide examples, templates and case studies to help support companies in their efforts to develop human rights focused policies and reporting initiatives.
xi. Encourage and facilitate the sharing of best practice on human rights due diligence, including effective supply chain audits.
xii. Create a fact sheet on the OECD anti-Bribery Convention, the criminal offences in Irish law on bribery, the reporting systems in place for reporting suspicions of foreign corruption and the protections provided by the Protected disclosures act to be distributed by enterprise Ireland to all Irish companies engaged in trade missions.”
Annex 1 – List of additional and ongoing actions to be carried out across Government
Trade and Investment [page 21]
“11. Provide information to participants in overseas trade missions led by Government representatives on human rights issues in the destination countries.
12. Ensure that State agencies and staff involved in promoting two-way trade and investment have received briefing and guidance on the purpose and implementation of the UN Guiding Principles.
13. Provide up to date guidance on the protection of human rights defenders working in the area of business and human rights through the circulation of Human Rights Defenders Guidelines to all Embassies.
14. Provide information from Embassies, working in cooperation with state agencies as appropriate, to Irish companies on business and human rights issues in their host countries.18. Provide advice to business enterprises of the possible risks of human rights situations when operating in conflict affected areas.”