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Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Health Minister Simon Harris and Minister of State Catherine Byrne today announced a range of investments from the new Healthy Ireland Fund, which was established this year under the national initiative to improve health and wellbeing. The investments are aimed at getting people across the country more active.

The new Fund, which was allocated a ‘kick start’ funding level of €5 million in Budget 2017, aims to support partnership working to support implementation of key national policies and plans under Healthy Ireland dealing with issues such as physical activity, obesity prevention and creating a tobacco-free society.

The first strand of funding of around €1.35 million announced today includes a range of projects to support the National Physical Activity Plan, with a particular focus on children.

An Taoiseach said:

With these new investments we can help more people, more families and more communities to look after their own health and wellbeing. We are supporting three core areas of physical activity, preventing obesity, and creating a tobacco-free society. By working with schools, communities and State bodies like libraries, we are joining the dots to ensure that the benefits of Healthy Ireland are felt at local level.

Health Minister Simon Harris said:

We have a range of policies and plans to address public health challenges such as obesity and physical inactivity, but implementation depends on collaboration across sectors such as Education, Sport and Local Government. This new Fund will support and strengthen that partnership working all across the country, but most importantly it will enable and empower many families and communities to get involved and be part of their local Healthy Ireland movement.

Minister of State for Health Promotion Catherine Byrne said:

I’m excited about our new partnership with the nationwide network of libraries under the Healthy Fund to make libraries a ‘go to’ place for health information, as well as information about how to get involved in health and wellbeing activities in your local area. This will be an important new way for us to reach out to different groups in communities who might not already be linking in with activities locally.

Read the full press release here.