TaraWatch

TaraWatch has been accepted by the United Nations and added to the register of UN Global Compact participants. Campaigners to save the Hill of Tara from the M3 motorway will now ask the UN to bring all public and private stakeholders in the controversy to the negotiating table. The UN Global Compact is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.

A formal request for stakeholder engagement has already been sent to the Spanish construction company, Ferrovial, who sent a reply indicating they were awaiting documentation from their Irish subsidiary. Now, all other stakeholders will receive a similar request, along with Government parties. The contract is to design, build, finance and operate the 50km M3 Clonee to North of Kells project under a 45-year concession. EuroLink M3 is owned by SIAC and Cintra (Concessiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte S.A.). Cintra is a subsidiary of the leading international infrastructure developer, Grupo Ferrovial S.A. Senior debt for the project has been provided by Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A., Banco Santander Central Hispano, S.A. and Calyon. All of these parties will now be asked to participate in stakeholder emgagement, under the aegis of the UN. The following is the letter received from the UN Global Compact:

Dear TaraWatch,

Welcome to the United Nations Global Compact! We thank you for joining the world’s largest voluntary corporate responsibility initiative. This letter is to inform you that TaraWatch has been added to the register of Global Compact participants. As a participant, a company makes a commitment:

* to set in motion changes to business operations so that the Global Compact and its ten principles become part of strategy, culture and  day-to-day operations;

* to publicly advocate the Global Compact and its principles via available communications channels; and

* to communicate annually and publicly on progress made in implementing the Global Compact principles.

An official welcome letter and an information package on the Global Compact will be sent to your organization’s top executive by mail. More information and guidance on engagement opportunities and expectations can be found on the Global Compact website.

Sincerely,

The Global Compact Office