IPH response to Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Department for Regional Development Spatial Strategies

The remit of the Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) is to promote cooperation for public health between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the areas of research and information, capacity building and policy advice. Our approach is to support Departments of Health and their agencies in both jurisdictions, and maximise the benefits of all-island cooperation to achieve practical benefits for people in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. As an all-island body, the Institute of Public Health in Ireland particularly welcomes that the Framework for Collaboration has been co-produced by the Department for Regional Development and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. In addition the Institute of Public Health welcomes a more holistic approach to spatial planning that takes into account the environment and sustainable economic development. A clean environment and a more equitable distribution of prosperity have associated health benefits, as outlined in the IPH’s Active travel – healthy lives (2011) and Health impacts of the built environment- a review (2006).

IPH response to Department for Regional Development's Regional Development Strategy

Key points from the IPH response include: There is growing recognition that the leading causes of illness and death, including heart disease, cancer, respiratory diseases and injuries, may be exacerbated by elements within the built environment which contribute to sedentary lifestyles and harmful environments.  IPH call for greater recognition of the links between regional development and health.   Health inequalities are the preventable and unjust differences in health status experienced by certain population groups.  The RDS has a role to play in tackling health inequalities experienced in Northern Ireland.   Supporting a modal shift in transport methods can lead to improved health and reduced health inequalities.   The RDS plays an important role in addressing climate change which is identified as a major public health concern for the 21st Century.  Creating healthy sustainable places and communities can go hand in hand with reducing the negative impacts of climate change.   IPH recognise the RDS is an overarching strategic framework which will be implemented by a range of other agencies.  To fully appreciate the potential health impacts of the RDS, IPH call for a Health Impact Assessment to be undertaken to fully determine the links with health and potential impact on health inequalities particularly in relation to the implementation strategy.

Understanding socio-economic inequalities affecting older people

In 2012, CARDI was asked by The Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland to carry out a series of research projects on ageing in Ireland, North and South. This research project, 'Understanding socio-economic inequalities affecting older people’ , was carried out by Paul McGill, CARDI. The research sought to answer the following questions: Are there inequalities that affect older people as a group compared with younger people, or inequalities that exist within the older population? How are these inequalities changing over time? Do these socio-economic inequalities have a detrimental impact on older people or on a substantial number of them? How can any harmful socio-economic inequalities be reduced or eliminated and what are the implications for policy-making? Key Findings*: In RoI the poorest older people had a rise of €32 per week between 2004 and 2011 in total incomes while those with the highest incomes had a rise of €255 (CSO 2013). Total incomes of the poorest pensioner couples in NI did not change between 2003-06 and 2008-11 but the best off had a rise of �37 per week (DSD 2013). Employees aged 60+ earn €10,000 less per year than earners in their peak years in RoI and �2,400 less in NI (CSO Database and NISRA 2012). The richest older people in RoI earn 14 times more from employment than the poorest. In NI it is 36 times more for single pensioners and 44 times more for pensioner couples (CSO 2013; NISRA 2013). The gap in weekly earnings between top and bottom earners aged 60+ in NI rose from �294 to �430 between 2005 and 2012 (NISRA 2012). In the two years 2009-2011 the incomes of the poorest older people in ROI declined by €24 per week (11.4%) (CSO, 2013).