OECD Policy Coherence Scan of Ireland

In a global context where only 17% of SDG targets are on track, Ireland's experience offers a compelling case for building coherence across sectors and levels of government. This OECD Policy Coherence Scan assesses how Ireland is aligning its institutional settings, policy processes and delivery systems to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The report reviews Ireland's performance against the OECD Recommendation on Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development, highlighting its strong whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. It shares positive practices, including institutional collaboration and stakeholder engagement, and provides an in-depth review of SDG implementation at the local level. At the same time, it also identifies areas for further development, such as integrating the SDGs into existing policy tools and building capacity at the local level. With Ireland preparing its Third National Implementation Plan for the SDGs, this report provides timely insights to strengthen co-ordination, close gaps, and embed long-term thinking across government. It also provides valuable insights to other countries pursuing coherence and policy integration in SDG implementation.