Minister Murnane O’Connor welcomes official accreditation the National Healthy Cities' and Counties Ireland Network, and designation of Galway, Limerick and Waterford

Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and National Drug Strategy, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD, has today welcomed the announcement that the National Healthy Cities and Counties of Ireland Network, and the cities of Galway, Limerick and Waterford have officially been accredited as a World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) European Healthy City in Phase VII (2019-2025), joining a prestigious network of cities across Europe recognised for their commitment to placing health, equity and sustainability at the centre of local governance and development.

Minister Murnane O’Connor said:

This accreditation asserts the cities' leadership in implementing innovative, cross-sectoral policies that promote public health, social inclusion, and sustainable urban living. This prestigious accreditation follows a rigorous evaluation process under the WHO European Healthy Cities Programme, which assesses cities around the globe on their ability to implement policies and initiatives that prioritise health, equity, and sustainable urban development. 

Accreditation to the WHO Healthy Cities and Counties Programme brings significant and comprehensive benefits to Galway, Limerick and Waterford, aligning directly with the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) mandate for local development. 

Mayor John Moran commented:

“This achievement reflects the hard work of our communities and staff in Limerick City and County Council who are, individually and collectively, dedicated to creating a healthier Limerick for all. Central to our vision is the ‘More Healthy Limerick’ pillar of the More for Limerick Mayoral Programme. This will guide our efforts to improve public health, promote active lifestyles and foster social inclusion right across Limerick. We want to make sure everything we do or do not is tested through the lens of its impact on the health of our residents.”

Mayor of Waterford City and County Council, Cllr Jason Murphy stated that:

The designation of the National Healthy Cities & Counties of Ireland Network, Galway, Waterford and Limerick as WHO European Healthy Cities allows for

• Access to international expertise and best practices through engagement with the WHO network of over 100 member cities.
• Integration of health considerations across all local government policies and plans, including the Local Economic & Community Plan (LECP) through their robust framework for Health.
• Intersectoral collaboration and partnerships between the Local Authority, HSE, community and voluntary groups, statutory agencies, and local communities.
• Meaningful citizen and community engagement by fostering a sense of ownership and collective responsibility.
• Long-term vision for sustainable development by focusing on creating healthy environments, reducing pollution, promoting active transport, and ensuring access to essential services. 

The Healthy Cities programme is a global World Health Organisation (WHO) movement, set up initially in 1987 with 11 individual cities. The concept is based on the importance of local action and the key role of local governments and Local Authorities in health and sustainable development. As the WHO Healthy Cities programme expanded, National Networks were established.

National Networks connect and support all cities and counties within their country. Today, there are accredited National Networks in 21 countries in the WHO European Region, bringing together more than 1,100 cities, counties and towns. The National Healthy Cities and Counties of Ireland Network received accreditation from the WHO in 2016.

The aim of the National Healthy Cities and Counties of Ireland Network is to develop a structure to support Local Authorities to implement the Healthy Ireland Framework.

A healthy city or county works to:

• Improve health and wellbeing by creating and continually improving its physical and social environments.
• Develop community resources that help people to support each other and achieve their potential.

LCDC’s are helping to create and sustain healthy places for people to be born, grow, live, work and age in. Each local authority has set up an LCDC to develop, co-ordinate and implement local and community development programmes.

Working with a range of organisations and groups, the Local Community Development Committees are ideally placed to support Healthy Ireland in response to local people’s needs. Local Community Development Committees are key partners in realising a Healthy Ireland through developing the National Healthy Cities and Counties Network of Ireland.