Minister for Health and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine jointly publish Ireland's third One Health National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2026-2030 (iNAP3)
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From: Department of Health
- Published on: 17 November 2025
- Last updated on: 17 November 2025
The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, today published Ireland’s third One Health National Action Plan to address Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) 2026-2030, known as iNAP3. This plan is the successor to Ireland's second National Action Plan on AMR 2021-2025 (iNAP2) and was developed jointly by the Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Environmental Protection Agency. The publication of iNAP3 coincides with European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) on 18 November and World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) which runs from 18 to 25 November.
Building on the strong foundations laid under iNAP1 (2017-2020) and iNAP2 (2021-2025), iNAP3 (2026-2030) reinforces Ireland’s commitment to tackling the growing global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through a One Health approach - recognising the interconnection between human health, animal health and the environment.
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said:
“The World Health Organization has declared that antimicrobial resistance is one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity. This threat requires a multisectoral approach across human, animal, and environment health to preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobials for future generations. With this National Action Plan, iNAP3, we have demonstrated that Ireland is fully committed to a collective approach to combating antimicrobial resistance. However, its success will depend on continued commitment from every sector and from each one of us.
“Since the publication of our first iNAP plan in 2017, significant progress has been made in tackling antimicrobial resistance in the health sector, and I would like to thank all healthcare workers for their efforts in this regard.”
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, said:
“Antimicrobial resistance remains one of the greatest global health challenges of our time. Ireland’s One Health approach, as reflected in iNAP3, continues to ensure that our collective actions continue to protect the health of people, animals, and our shared environment.”
Minister Heydon added:
“Ireland’s farming and veterinary communities have shown real leadership in reducing antimicrobial use and embracing best practice to optimise animal health. The agricultural sector will continue working hand in hand with our partners in health and the environment to sustain progress under iNAP3.”
The launch of iNAP3 alongside World Antimicrobial Awareness Week highlights Ireland’s ongoing leadership and commitment to global efforts in combatting AMR, ensuring that antimicrobials remain effective for future generations.
Both Ministers acknowledged the ongoing support and collaboration with stakeholders, particularly the members of the National Interdepartmental Antimicrobial Resistance Consultative Committee for their advice and guidance in relation to the development of the plan.
Notes
Ireland's third One Health National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2026-2030 (iNAP3) is available here.
Further information on AMR and the iNAP2 publication is available on the joint AMR webpage: www.gov.ie/amr
AMR
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is resistance of a microorganism to a drug that was originally effective for treatment of infections caused by that microorganism. Resistant microorganisms (including bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites) are able to withstand attack by antimicrobial drugs, such as antibacterial drugs (e.g., antibiotics), antifungals, antivirals, and antimalarials, so that standard treatments become ineffective and infections persist, increasing the risk of spread to others.
Antimicrobials are essential to the practice of modern medicine, enabling sophisticated medical interventions and treatments, such as chemotherapy and organ transplants.
One Health
The goal of the One Health concept is to encourage multidisciplinary collaborative efforts across different sectors such as human health, animal health, agriculture, and the environment to achieve the optimal health outcomes for people and animals. It advocates a “whole of society” approach, recognising that the health of people is connected to the health of animals and the environment. It has been acknowledged globally that a One Health approach is the most effective way to address the global AMR challenge. This is promoted by both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Commission.
National Action Plans on AMR
National Action Plans on AMR are an international commitment to Member States of both the European Commission and the World Health Organization.
Ireland’s second One Health National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2021-2025, known as iNAP2, adopts a One Health approach to tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and aligns to the five Strategic Objectives outlined in the World Health Organization Global Action Plan (2015) and the requirements of the European Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (2017). The plan contains a range of strategic interventions and activities across the human health, animal health and environmental sectors grouped under five strategic objectives aimed at:
- Improving awareness and knowledge of AMR.
- Enhancing surveillance of antibiotic resistance and antibiotic use.
- Reducing the spread of infection and disease.
- Optimising the use of antibiotics in human and animal health.
- Promoting research and sustainable investment in new medicines, diagnostic tools, vaccines and other interventions.
Since the implementation of iNAP2, Ireland has achieved significant progress across all sectors, including:
- Strengthening antimicrobial stewardship in human and veterinary medicine.
- Reducing the overall use of antibiotics in both the human and animal health sectors.
- Enhancing national AMR surveillance systems and laboratory capacity.
- Optimising infection prevention and control.
- Promoting public awareness and education on the responsible use of antimicrobials.
iNAP3 (2026-2030) aligns to the WHO’s Global updated Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. The plan contains a range of strategic interventions like its predecessor with activities across the human health, animal health and environmental sectors grouped under six strategic objectives aimed at:
- Strengthen awareness and promote appropriate social and behavioural change to reduce antimicrobial resistance risks across all sectors.
- Strengthen surveillance systems and laboratory networks to inform effective, evidence-driven antimicrobial resistance policies and actions across all sectors.
- Intensify infection prevention across all sectors to reduce the burden of infectious diseases and the need for antimicrobials.
- Ensure equitable access, appropriate use and safe disposal of antimicrobials, diagnostics and other health products across sectors.
- Ensure sustainable investment in antimicrobial resistance research and innovation across all sectors.
- Strengthen multisectoral governance, sustainable financing and accountability for a coordinated antimicrobial resistance response across all sectors and at all levels.
The plan emphasises education, prevention, stewardship, collaboration, governance, and sustainability, as well as a renewed focus on communication as a key lever to drive behaviour change.
iNAP3 outlines a co-ordinated national strategy to preserve the long-term effectiveness of antimicrobials by:
- Increased emphasis on communication, behaviour change, education, and diagnostics.
- Increased focus on infection prevention and control (IPC) and vaccination.
- Enhanced focus on companion animals, equines and aquaculture.
- A renewed focus on biosecurity and infection prevention in veterinary and farm settings, to reduce the need for antibiotics by tackling disease at its source.
- Continued cross-sectoral collaboration in agriculture and the environment, co-ordinated by the Animal Health Implementation Committee (AHIC).
- Sustained antimicrobial stewardship, ensuring that policy, practice, and investment decisions across sectors are grounded in science, supported by data, and guided by a shared vision.
Sector specific highlights iNAP3
The report contains several sector specific highlights:
Human Health Journey: Achievements and Highlights
Human Health Highlight 1: Patient & Healthcare Staff Stories Project: Experiences of Sepsis, Infection & Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Report 26
Human Health Highlight 2: IV Line Care Teams
Animal Health Journey: Achievements and Highlights
Animal Health Highlight 1: Beef Case Study
Animal Health Highlight 2: Tackling AMR in the Irish Broiler Sector Poultry
Environment Journey: Achievements and Highlights
Environment Highlight 1: Monitoring AMR across European Surface Waters
Environment Highlight 2: Gap analysis to identify research needs for understanding the environmental aspects of AMR
European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) is a European health initiative coordinated by ECDC. It provides a platform and support for national campaigns on the prudent use of antibiotics in the EU/EEA and take place each year across Europe on 18 November. EAAD is organised in partnership with the World AMR Awareness Week, organised annually by the World Health Organization from 18-24 November.
World AMR Awareness Week aims to raise awareness and inspire action around antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The global campaign takes place annually from 18-24 November.