IPH response to Road Safety Authority Ireland Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020

The Road Safety Authority has responsibility for co-ordinating the development of Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy.  The Government’s road safety target of no more than 252 deaths per annum by the end of 2012 was achieved in 2009, when the number of road collision deaths in Ireland fell to 239.  The reduction in the number of fatalities was achieved through robust actions in terms of education and awareness, road engineering, and enforcement, including significant legislative milestones.  The challenge is now to ensure that the impact of these measures on collision levels is sustained and enhanced into the future through continuous education, enforcement and road engineering measures and initiatives. IPH welcomes the opportunity to respond to this consultation given the significant burden of injury, disability and mortality associated with road traffic collisions on the island of Ireland.  IPH supports the development of evidence-based strategies and actions which can maintain a transport system, in which the safety of all road users is paramount. 

IPH response to DOE Consultation 'Preparing a Road Safety Strategy for Northern Ireland 2010-20'

The Department of Environment (NI)  recently held a consultation on preparing a new road safety strategy for Northern Ireland which will cover the years 2010 to 2020.  The consultation ran from 16 March 2010 to 15 June 2010.  The consultation paper outlined key challenges to be addressed over the lifetime of the strategy and proposed a number of action measures which have been agreed by the statutory road safety partners.  Views were invited on preparing a new road safety strategy for Northern Ireland that will shape the way ahead for safety on roads over the next decade.

Department of Health and Children Consolidated Salary Scales - Clause 2.31 of the Haddington Road Agreement

CONSOLIDATED SALARY SCALES IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLAUSE 2.31 OF THE HADDINGTON ROAD AGREEMENT These scales must be read in conjunction with Department of Health Circular 3/2014 With reference to Clause 2.31 of the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA) which addresses the remuneration of new entrant grades who entered the Public Service on or after 1 January 2011 and were subject to Department of Health Circular 2/2011 dated 24 March 2011.   New entrants to health sector recruitment grades, who were subject to the 2011 reduced pay rates will be assimilated to the revised/merged incremental payscale as and from 1 November 2013. Download the document here

An Assessment of the Microbiology of Hand Contact Surfaces in the Retail Environment

This study aimed to assess the microbiology of food and hand contact surfaces in the retail environment and the potential for these surfaces to act as vehicles for the spread of foodborne pathogens. During the survey, 10 stores in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) were visited by student Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) who took swab samples from four surfaces: conveyor belts, long-life shopping bags, shopping trolley handles and keypads on card payment units. The swab samples were examined for the presence of the pathogens Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria. The Aerobic Colony Counts, as well as the levels of E. coli and Enterobacteriaceae, were also determined. In addition, structured questionnaires were used with retailers to establish the stores’ regimes for the cleaning of conveyor belts. Similarly, shoppers donating their long-life shopping bags for sampling were questioned about how they normally use these bags, and the results were compared with those from the microbiological survey. The results indicated that the hygiene of the surfaces sampled was good, with Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria not detected in any of the samples, and levels of both Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli were below the limits of detection in all but one sample. Aerobic Colony Counts varied but none of the results obtained would be deemed ‘unacceptable’ or ‘unsatisfactory’ under guidelines for ready-to-eat foods

The Road to Recovery: A New Approach to Tackling Scotland's Drug Problem

The Scottish National Drugs Strategy requires the 22 regional Drug Action Teams to prepare and submit to the Scottish Executive annual action plans for tackling drug misuse in their areas. These plans should address national and local priorities, including their contribution to the achievement of national targets. These comprise three parts: Part A provides an overview of the DAT structures and working; Part B provides detailed information on current local services and Part C reports plans for 2003/04.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.