About

Healthy Ireland Local Government

With a growing focus and responsibility being given to Local Authorities for community well-being, Healthy Ireland Local Government plays an important role in encouraging local government to join-up its effort at the local level leading to improved health and wellbeing outcomes.

Healthy Ireland Programmes within Local Government are funded by the Department of Health with 2 main initiatives: the Healthy Ireland Cities and Counties Programme and the Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme.

Determinants of Health and Wellbeing

For most of us, the pathway to wellbeing begins well before healthcare ever becomes necessary. We must recognise that public health responsibility extends far beyond the health and social care systems – it also includes many aspects of society spanning the government, community and voluntary sector, private business and most importantly, local communities.

Local government wields significant influence in enabling wellbeing improvements with responsibility for what’s termed the determinants of health and wellbeing (see diagram) – these are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age that influence their health and wellbeing outcomes. Healthy Ireland Local Government has a role in helping to understand the complex interplay of factors that are crucial for improving overall wellbeing outcomes in communities and encouraging local government to avail of the opportunities to address the public health challenges of today.

Healthy Ireland Local Government Map

The Healthy Ireland Local Government team operates across the 31 Local Authorities with 50 specialist staff coming from varied backgrounds and experiences.

The team consists of 31 Healthy Ireland City and County Co-ordinators employed to develop, co-ordinate and implement local wellbeing initiatives and 19 Sláintecare Healthy Communities Local Development Officers whose goal is to address health inequalities in 19 designated areas of disadvantage. These programmes are supported by the Healthy Ireland Local Government National Team based in Waterford.

Explore Map

Healthy Ireland Local Government

National Team

Vinnie O’Shea

National Coordinator Healthy Ireland – Local Government

087 9793444 [email protected]

Dave Mitchell

Assistant National Coordinator Healthy Ireland – Local Government

087 0540644 [email protected]

Healthy Ireland Cities & Counties Programme

The Healthy Ireland Cities & Counties Programme is a Government funded initiative aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of communities in Ireland in line with the Healthy Ireland Framework.

Cathaoirleach and stakeholders at launch event - Healthy Meath Free Health Checks

Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme

The Sláintecare Healthy Communities (SHC) Programme is a Healthy Ireland initiative to reduce health inequalities in 19 community areas across Ireland where health inequalities are most evident.

European Healthy Cities Network - National Healthy Cities & Counties of Ireland Network

The World Health Organization (WHO) European Healthy Cities Network movement supports European member cities to become healthier and more equitable places to live.