Ireland

Section 1: International Context and Domestic Consultative Process

Other international initiatives [page 10]

“In March 2016, the Council of Europe adopted a Recommendation to assist Member States in preventing and remedying human rights violations by business enterprises. The Recommendation elaborates on access to judicial remedy, drawing on Council of Europe expertise and legal standards and puts special emphasis on the additional protection needs of workers, children, indigenous people and human rights defenders.”

Section 2: Current legislative and Regulatory Framework

Environment [page 14]

“Ireland has transposed key EU directives, such as EU Directive 2004/35/EC which deals with environmental liability with regard to the prevention and remedying of environmental damage.”

Section 3: Actions

II. Initial priorities for the Business and Human Rights Implementation Group [page 19]

“xiii. Engage with business representative bodies to promote and strengthen mediation as a viable option when businesses and their stakeholders are engaged in disputes.

xiv. Introduce a standing agenda item to explore international best practice and principles governing the development of operational level grievance mechanisms for individuals and communities who may be adversely impacted to make it possible for grievances to be addressed early and remediated directly.

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.

xv. Review how best to ensure remedy for potential victims overseas of human rights abuses by Irish companies, with a focus on barriers to justice, including legal, procedural or financial barriers.”

Annex 1 – List of additional and ongoing actions to be carried out across Government

Domestic Framework [page 20]

“2. Enact the Mediation Bill.”