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Director General of World Health Organisation addresses Inaugural Meeting of Healthy Ireland Council

Minister for Health Dr James Reilly TD today (Thursday 26 June 2014) hosted a visit to Dublin by Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organisation and Global Health Leader. During her visit the Director General held a series of meetings with Minister Reilly and senior officials covering a range of important issues. Dr Chan also addressed the inaugural meeting of the Healthy Ireland Council.

Tobacco control was a key discussion topic for the meeting between Dr Chan and Minister Reilly. Minister Reilly expressed his gratitude to Dr Chan and the WHO for their ongoing support and guidance under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The Minister updated Dr Chan on progress on a range of measures under Tobacco Free Ireland, including the recent passage of the Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill through the Seanad.

“I am delighted, given the importance of the Healthy Ireland Council to our efforts to improve the health of the nation, that Dr Margaret Chan, such an eminent advocate for public health worldwide, is able to join us here at the inaugural meeting of the Council” said the Minister.

He acknowledged the input and leadership of the WHO in assisting Ireland in developing the Healthy Ireland initiative and referred to an event two years ago at which the WHO Europe participated in a seminar that initiated the process of developing the Healthy Ireland Framework.

Addressing the Healthy Ireland Council the Minister said “It is appropriate that Dr. Chan is with us on this important occasion. The goals of the Healthy Ireland Framework 2013-2025 are closely aligned with the World Health Organisation’s ‘Health 2020: The European policy for health and wellbeing’, which Ireland adopted in September 2012. Our policies aim to support action across government and society to significantly improve the health and well-being of our populations, to reduce health inequalities, to strengthen public health, and to ensure people-centred health systems that are universal, equitable, sustainable and of high quality”.