merrion street

The Department of Health is to attend the Ploughing Championship next week and we want to meet you.

Over the course of the three day event, we want to talk to you about:

• our new skin cancer prevention plan and how you protect yourself against UV;
• vaccinations and why you should vaccinate your children; - how you stay active in your busy life;
• oral health and why it is so important;
• and your mental health

Minister for Health Simon Harris, Minister of State for Health Promotion and the National Drugs Strategy Catherine Byrne, and Minister of State with special responsibility for Mental Health and Older People Jim Daly will be in attendance, along with officials from the Department of Health, the HSE and various healthcare partners.

Minister Harris said:

Everyone visiting the Health and Wellbeing Marquee will have the opportunity to talk to the Sláintecare Team and learn about how we are reforming the delivery of healthcare. We also want you meet our Healthy Ireland team. They will be on hand to offer simple steps to becoming healthier, quit.ie will give advice on how to stop smoking, SpunOut.ie will be there with tips on how to look after your mental health, and for parents makeastart.ie will be there on how to cut down screen time for kids, among others. Karl Henry, RTE Junior’s Clara Murray and Met Eireann’s Evelyn Cusack will also be under the Department of Health tent.

I would encourage everyone to come visit us and learn about some of the work underway in the Department. I look forward to meeting you all too!

Minister Daly said:

I am delighted that the Ploughing Championships are promoting the importance of harnessing digital technologies to augment existing mental health solutions as a much needed resource for all people who are experiencing poor mental health.

Providing online supports for people is a good way to ensure that any person in need of help and advice can access it when and where they need it.

Quite often it is difficult to access information on mental health as there are so many sites with so many different services on offer. YourMentalHealth.ie has been reconfigured and offers a one stop shop for information on quality mental health services and supports nationally. I look forward to telling more about this way of working on 19 September in Carlow.

Minister Byrne said:

This is the first time that we're all under the one roof at the Ploughing, we've never had this co-ordinated approach before. We're looking forward to having great conversations with people about where they are on their health journey, to let them know about all the supports available through Healthy Ireland in their counties and their communities and to hear from them what we can do to help them make it easier to be healthy. The HSE and other partners will be giving information on how to protect their health, prevent illness and where to go to look for help when they need it.

You can find us at Marquee 458 at Ploughing and stay tuned to our social media for all the latest. #HealthyPloughing19 #GovVillage