13. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment his Department’s position on the provisions currently contained in the Corporate Sustainability and Due Diligence Directive which may be subject to alteration or removal as part of the EU Omnibus package relating to the risk-based approach to due diligence, harmonised civil liability regime, the requirement to put into effect climate transition plans, and provisions on stakeholder engagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27728/25]

Sentiment score: 0.19

I thank the Minister for his answer. I am glad to hear there are some elements still supported by the Government, but by removing the risk-based assessment for suppliers we are not identifying where the problems are. We cannot guarantee, then, that our clothes, food and phones are not made using slave labour or in factories like those at Rana Plaza in Bangladesh, whose collapse killed more than 1,100 garment workers in 2013. A full assessment of low risk for one supplier is potentially being asked for, and this disproportionately affects SMEs. This is not better regulation. Harmonised civil liability gives certainty to business. That is better regulation. Instead, we businesses face having to navigate countless different legal systems. It has been really difficult to get a straight answer on what the Department wants to keep at EU level and what it is seeking to be simplified. I would appreciate the Minister’s clarity on some of his. I urge him to provide more clarity on exactly what the positions are on this crucial legislation.

Sentiment score: 0.03

The corporate sustainability and due diligence directive came about after years of collective work, consultation and engagement. My concern and that of the Social Democrats is that the Omnibus proposals are really being rammed through without any consideration at the same level. Is the Minister in favour of all the measures cited in my question, particularly the risk-based assessment? Does he support their being removed? If so, why? Since this matter is about to be discussed at European Council level, we need more clarity from the Government on what it wants to happen. I have submitted many parliamentary questions on this because we need the clarity. Without it, we have a huge democratic deficit whereby we do not really know what our Government is going to do to shape this vital EU legislation.

Sentiment score: 0.31