Modelling Interbank Relations during the International Financial Crisis

This paper examines the effects of the current financial crisis on the correlations of four international banking stocks. We find that in the beginning of the crisis banks generally show a transition to a higher correlation followed by a dramatic decline towards the end of 2008. These findings are consistent with both traditional contagion theory and the more recent network theory of contagion. JEL classifications: C51; G15 Keywords: Financial Crises; Contagion; Interbank Markets.

Monetary policy rules and financial stress: does financial instability matter for monetary

We examine whether and how main central banks responded to episodes of financial stress over the last three decades. We employ a new methodology for monetary policy rules estimation, which allows for time-varying response coefficients as well as corrects for endogeneity. This flexible framework applied to the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada and Sweden together with a new financial stress dataset developed by the International Monetary Fund allows not only testing whether the central banks responded to financial stress but also detects the periods and type of stress that were the most worrying for monetary authorities and to quantify the intensity of policy response. Our findings suggest that central banks often change policy

Misallocation of capital in a model of endogenous financial intermediation and insurance

In this paper we analyze productivity and welfare losses from capital misallocation in a general equilibrium model of occupational choice and endogenous financial intermediation. We study the effects of borrowing and lending, insurance, and risk sharing on the optimal allocation of resources. We find that financial markets together with general equilibrium effects have large impact on entrepreneurs' entry and firm-size decisions. Efficiency gains are increasing in the quality of financial markets, particularly in their ability to alleviate a financing constraint by providing insurance against idiosyncratic risk.

Estimated Financial Impact of Trypanosoma vivax on the Brazilian Pantanal and Bolivian Lowlands

The financial impact of the first outbreak of Trypanosoma vivax in the Brazilian Pantanal wetland is estimated. Results are extended to include outbreaks in the Bolivian lowlands providing a notion of the potential influence of the disease and an analytical basis. More than 11 million head of cattle, valued at more than US$3 billion are found in the Brazilian Pantanal and Bolivian lowlands. The total estimated cost of the 1995 outbreak of T. vivax is the sum of the present values of mortality, abortion, and productivity losses and treatment costs, or about 4% of total brood cow value on affected ranches. Had the outbreak gone untreated, the estimated losses would have exceeded 17% of total brood cow value.

Health Impact Assessment Guidance (2009)

This document describes Health Impact Assessment (HIA) and the steps involved in HIA.  It gives advice based on the experience of HIA practitioners and provides tools to help carry out these steps and adapt HIA to local circumstances. This guidance manual explains what Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is and the stages involved in conducting it. It has been revised and updated based on the experience of HIA practitioners and includes new tools which have been developed to assist each step of the HIA process. It aims to provide a user friendly and practical framework to guide policy-makers and practitioners in undertaking HIA. All HIA tools contained in this guidance and further information on HIA may be found at http://www.publichealth.ie/hia

Response to Draft Guidance on Health in Strategic Environmental Assessment

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Draft Guidance on Health in Strategic Environmental Assessment.  Our organisation 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 applies a holistic model of health which emphasises a wide range of health determinants, including economic, environmental, social and biological factors. Our work is based on the premise that improving health and reducing health inequalities can only be achieved through addressing these broad determinants of health.

IPH response to the HIQA consultation on the National Demographic Dataset and Guidance for use in health and social care settings in Ireland

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. IPH have previously responded to consultations to the Department of Health’s Discussion Paper on the Proposed Health Information Bill (June 2008), the Health Information and Quality Authority on their Corporate Plan (Oct 2007), and the Road Safety Authority of Ireland Road Safety Strategy (Jul 2012). IPH supports the development of a national standard demographic dataset for use within the health and social care services. Provided necessary safeguards are put in place (such as ethics and data protection) and the purpose of collecting the information is fully explained to subjects, mandatory provision of a minimum demographic dataset is usually the best way to achieve the necessary coverage and data quality. Demographic information is needed in several forms to support the public health function: Detailed aggregated information for comparison to population counts in order to assess equity of access to healthcare as well as examining population patterns and trends in morbidity and mortality Accurate demographic information for the surveillance of infectious disease outbreaks, monitoring vaccination programmes, setting priorities for public health interventions Linked to other data outside of health and social care such as population data, survey data, and longitudinal studies for research and analysis purposes.   Identify and address public health issues to tackle health inequalities, and to monitor the success of such efforts to tackle them.

Identification of planorbids from Venezuela by polymerase chain reaction amplification and restriction fragment length polymorphism of internal transcriber spacer of the RNA ribosomal gene

Snails of the genus Biomphalaria from Venezuela were subjected to morphological assessment as well as polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. Morphological identification was carried out by comparison of characters of the shell and the male and female reproductive apparatus. The PCR-RFLP involved amplification of the internal spacer region ITS1 and ITS2 of the RNA ribosomal gene and subsequent digestion of this fragment by the restriction enzymes DdeI, MnlI, HaeIII and MspI. The planorbids were compared with snails of the same species and others reported from Venezuela and present in Brazil, Cuba and Mexico. All the enzymes showed a specific profile for each species, that of DdeI being the clearest. The snails were identified as B. glabrata, B. prona and B. kuhniana.

RQIA Review of the implementation of Promoting Quality Care (PQC) Good Practice Guidance on the Assessment and Management of Risk in Mental Health and Learning Disability Services (PDF1.07MB)

Overview Report October 2012

Promoting Quality Care - Good Practice Guidance on the Assessment and Management of Risk & Dementia Toolset August 2012

Good Practice Guidance