Monaghan County Council · Meeting of Monaghan County Council · 3 March 2025
A vote on a motion deploring corporations that profit from armed conflict and human rights violations, with reference to Gaza, the West Bank and Ukraine. It affirms that the council's tendering should be consistent with international human rights standards and resolves to adopt a rights-based ethical procurement policy.
Summary written by AI from the minutes. The motion as recorded follows.
That Monaghan County Council deplores those corporations that profit from protracted armed conflict and systematic violation of human rights, particularly in the context of Isreal’s continuing brutal assault on the people of Gaza and escalating settler terrorism in the West Bank, Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, and other conflicts around the world. With this motion, the Council encourages companies to meet their obligations to avoid contributing to adverse human rights impacts through their own activities, and to prevent or mitigate human rights abuses linked to their operations. Monaghan County Council is aware of the crucial role of local authorities and their public procurement procedures in ensuring respect for human rights by companies, as well as their obligations under widely accepted business and human rights norms – as laid down in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and the Global Sullivan Principles (1999) – to promote respect for human rights by companies with which they do business. Secondly, Monaghan County Council affirms that every endeavour is made to ensure that council’s tender processes are consistent with the above principles, including under the Fourth Geneva convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and under customary international humanitarian law, prohibiting the importation or sale of goods or services originating in occupied territories. Thirdly, Monaghan County Council resolves to adopt a rights-based Ethical Procurement Policy (EPP) that takes fully into account existing obligations and standards. The EPP will incorporate widely accepted and precisely formulated international standards and explain clearly how the policy will be implemented. The primary aim of the EPP is to ensure that human rights obligations are properly acknowledged, observed, and respected at all stages of the procurement process.”
Proposed by Cllr P. Treanor (on behalf of the Sinn Fein party members); seconded by Cllr S. Conlon.
The minutes record: Following a discussion on the motion, a recorded vote was taken which resulted as follows: For: Cllrs C. Carthy, S. Conlon, S. Flynn, N. Keelan, P. Treanor, N. McCooey, B. McAree and P. Gibbons Total: 8 Against: Cllrs R. Aughey, P. Clerkin, P. Conlon, S. Coyle, S. Gilliland, PJ O’Hanlon, and S. Treanor Total: 7 The Cathaoirleach declared the proposal carried.
| Party | Tá | Níl | Staon | Didn't vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sinn Féin | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fine Gael | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Fianna Fáil | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Independent | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
None
Tá, Níl and Staon are the minutes’ for, against and abstained. “Didn’t vote” covers councillors on the council that day whom the minutes don’t list under any option, for any reason. Parties are as of the meeting day.