Press release
Minister Hildegarde Naughton launches Healthy Ireland Programme Round 4 for County Roscommon 2023 - 2025
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Hildegarde Naughton, will today visit Roscommon County Council for the official launch of the Healthy Ireland Fund Round 4 2023 – 2025.
The Minister will meet with representatives from Roscommon County Council, the Health Service Executive (HSE) and some of the community partners involved in delivering activities and amenities to enhance the lives of communities in Roscommon.
Healthy Ireland funds support initiatives targeted at all age groups, particularly children, adolescents and young people, older people, those living in disadvantaged communities and people with disabilities.
Speaking in Roscommon ahead of the launch, Minister Naughton said:
"Healthy Ireland has a long-standing partnership with our Local Authority Partners, working collaboratively to improve the health and wellbeing of our population.
"It’s fantastic to be here in Roscommon today to launch the Healthy Ireland Round 4 programme for the county. Healthy Ireland projects provide very practical enhancements to the lives of those who engage with them and make a measurable difference to communities.
"It is particularly heartening to see such a variety of projects tailored to meet the needs of communities in Roscommon."
Healthy Ireland programmes are designed to counteract and prevent negative health outcomes as a result of smoking, alcohol, poor diet, physical inactivity and obesity as well as addressing the wider social and environmental factors that impact on health and wellbeing.
During her time in County Roscommon, Minister Naughton will take the opportunity to visit the Melting Pot which provides delicious healthy, low-cost meals to those who need it across the community. The Minister will also visit Anam Gallery and avail of a walking tour of the town to see first-hand how investment in walking and cycling projects is having a hugely beneficial impact on the health and wellbeing of the community.
Examples of approved proposals in Roscommon include:
The Healthy Ireland Fund was set up in 2017. Rounds 1-3 of the programme funded a number of coordinator positions in the Local Authorities and provided funding for projects that were broadly based on activity-led programmes.
The fund is managed by Pobal on behalf of Healthy Ireland.
Round 4 has moved to an outcome-based approach with multi-annual grant agreements. Outcomes are taken directly from the Healthy Ireland Outcomes Framework. This is the national framework for action to improve the health and wellbeing of the people in Ireland. Healthy Ireland was developed in response to a number of significant public health challenges, including significant projected increases in levels of preventable chronic disease and growing heath inequalities.
The Healthy Ireland coordinators, funded from the HIF, are full-time posts based within each Local Authority.
Each Local Authority is being allocated funding of €75,000 in 2023 for the projects that have been designed at local level and evaluated by Pobal and approved by the Healthy Ireland team.