Active Travel - Healthy Lives

Across Ireland, there is considerable scope to replace many short car journeys with walking and cycling which would bring about a range of benefits to health as well as saving money for individuals and society.'Active travel, healthy lives' presents a summary of international evidence on the health and economic benefits of active travel and makes recommendations on how active travel can become a viable, safe and attractive alternative to car use.

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 Building an Active Travel Future for Northern Ireland

IPH responded to the Department for Regional Development consultation Building an Active Travel Future for Northern Ireland, March 2012 The draft Active Travel strategy seeks to set out how to increase active travel by demonstrating that walking and cycling are safe, healthy, flexible, inexpensive and social means of travel and by setting out ways in which opportunities for active travel can be significantly improved.IPH welcomes the new Active Travel Strategy and highlights the need for a truly integrated approach to the strategy which has the potential to positively influence health in areas such as obesity, mental health and cardiovascular health.  IPH suggest a health impact assessment is undertaken on each of the Active Travel Demonstration projects to fully maximise the potential health outcomes of developing the required infrastructure for active travel.

IPH Response to draft Framework for Sustainable Development for Ireland

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr Phil Hogan has launched a draft Framework for Sustainable Development for Ireland for public consultation. The objectives of the draft Framework are to identify and prioritise policy areas and mechanisms where a sustainable development approach will add value and enable continuous improvement of quality of life for current and future generations and set out clear measures, responsibilities and timelines in an implementation plan.

IPH Response to OFMDFM Consultation ‘Everyone’s Involved’ - Sustainable Development Strategy Implementation Plan

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) aims to improve health on the island of Ireland by working to combat health inequalities and influence public policies in favour of health.  IPH promotes cooperation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in public health research, training and policy advice. Its key focus is on efforts to improve health equity. The work of IPH (www.publichealth.ie) includes health impact assessment, building and sharing evidence for public health development, developing Ireland and Northern Ireland’s population health observatory (INISPHO www.inispho.org ), and providing public health policy advice in areas such as health inequalities, obesity, fuel poverty and food poverty.   Health is influenced by a wide range of social determinants, including economic, environmental, social and biological factors. IPH has a key interest and significant experience in raising awareness and developing work to influence these wider social and environmental determinants in ways which improve health. Sustainable development and public health are inextricably linked, in ways which are described in section 3.  Sustainable development is essentially at the heart of healthy communities and individuals as well as a healthy environment and sustainable economic development   - all factors at the heart of public health.

IPH response to draft Sustainable Development Strategy 'Everyone's Involved'

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) aims to improve health on the island of Ireland by working to combat health inequalities and influence public policies in favour of health.  IPH promotes cooperation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in public health research, training and policy advice. Its key focus is on efforts to improve health equity. The work of IPH (www.publichealth.ie) includes health impact assessment, building and sharing evidence for public health development, developing Ireland and Northern Ireland’s population health observatory (INISPHO www.inispho.org ), and providing public health policy advice in areas such as health inequalities, obesity, fuel poverty and food poverty.   Health is influenced by a wide range of social determinants, including economic, environmental, social and biological factors. IPH has a key interest and significant experience in raising awareness and developing work to influence these wider social and environmental determinants in ways which improve health. Sustainable development and public health are inextricably linked, in ways which are described in section 3.  Sustainable development is essentially at the heart of healthy communities and individuals as well as a healthy environment and sustainable economic development   - all factors at the heart of public health.

IPH responds to Northern Ireland Assembly Inquiry into Sustainable Transport

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) aims to improve health on the island of Ireland by working to combat health inequalities and influence public policies in favour of health.  The Institute promotes cooperation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in public health research, training and policy advice. IPH commends the Regional Development Committee on selecting sustainable transport as its subject for inquiry and welcomes the inquiry’s focus on identifying a move to more sustainable transport in Northern Ireland. IPH thanks the Committee for the opportunity to contribute views and experience

Submission to the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government: Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland is an all-island body which aims to improve health in Ireland by working to combat health inequalities and influence public policies in favour of health. The Institute promotes co-operation in research, training, information and policy in order to contribute to policies which tackle inequalities in health.   Over the past ten years the Institute has worked closely with the Department of Health and Children and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland to build capacity for public health across the island of Ireland.   The Institute takes the view that health is determined by policies, plans and programmes in many sectors outside the health sector as well as being dependent on access to and availability of first class health services. The importance of other sectors is encapsulated in a social determinants of health perspective which recognises that health is largely shaped and influenced by the physical, social, economic and cultural environments in which people live, work and play. Figure 1 illustrates these multi-dimensional impacts on health and also serves to highlight the clear and inextricable links between health and sustainable development. Factors that impact on long-term sustainability will thus also impact on health.

Report to Secretary General on: Travel associated with Management - Union Partnership Activities, and in which Department officials participated, and Funding for Management -Union Partnership activities other than SKILL

Report to Secretary General on: Travel associated with Management – Union Partnership Activities, and in which Department officials participated, and Funding for Management -Union Partnership activities other than SKILL Download this document as a PDF 58KB Also… Subsistence Allowances PDF 1.19MB Extracts from the Health Service National Partnership Forum’s Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2000 PDF 338KB Foreign Travel claims relating to Skills & Partnership PDF 13KB Details of Funding Provided to Nursing Unions from 12/6/2000 – 5/11/2004 PDF 360KB Partnership Investigation PDF 428KB

Obesity and the environment briefing: Increasing physical activity and active travel

This briefing has been written in conjunction with the Local Government Association (LGA). It is aimed at those who work in or represent local authorities. It addresses the issue of taking action to create environments where people are more likely to walk or cycle for short journeys. It summarises the importance of action on obesity and a specific focus on active travel, and outlines the regulatory and policy approaches that can be taken.

Belfast Active Travel Action Plan 2014-2020

The Belfast Strategic Partnership, which is led by the Public Health Agency, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and Belfast City Council, is launching theBelfast Active Travel Action Plan 2014-2020 which aims to build a healthier city by encouraging people to incorporate walking and/or cycling into their daily travel. The travel plan aims to try to make Belfast a more vibrant city where people are healthy, fit, well-connected with one another, and use physical activity as part of their everyday lives.

'Education for Sustainability' - The National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland, 2014-2020

This National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has been developed by the Department of Education and Skills (DES), in consultation with key stakeholders. It provides a framework to support the contribution that the education sector is making and will continue to make towards a more sustainable future at a number of levels: individual, community, local, national and international. This strategy is primarily influenced by the national strategy on sustainable development, Our Sustainable Future - A Framework for Sustainable Development in Ireland (hereafter referred to as Our Sustainable Future), which was published by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in 2012. It is also framed within the current context of limited financial resources. The result is an ESD strategy that seeks to challenge individuals, organisations and society as a whole, but particularly in educational contexts, through recommendations that are pragmatic rather than aspirational in nature.