Page 6 - Healthy Ireland Main Plan

Healthy Ireland for Louth Plan 2018-2022

3. Developing this Plan

Healthy Ireland

Healthy Ireland is a collective response to the risks that threaten Ireland’s future health
and wellbeing, as well as its economic recovery. It is a new national Framework for action to
improve the health and wellbeing of the population of Ireland over the coming generation.
It sets out four central goals for improved health and wellbeing, and outlines clear routes
and strategies to achieve these goals, in which all people and all parts of society can
participate.

The Healthy Ireland Framework draws on existing policies but proposes new arrangements
to ensure effective co-operation and collaboration and to implement evidence-based
policies at government, sectoral, community and local levels. It is about each individual
sector helping to improve health and wellbeing, multiplying all efforts and delivering
better results.

National Plans linked to Healthy Ireland

Over the past number of years significant work has been undertaken, in consultation with
the public, in developing national policies and plans. These include, but are not limited
to Tobacco Free Ireland (2013), National Sexual Health Strategy (2015), National Physical
Activity Plan (2016), A Healthy Weight for Ireland Obesity Policy (2016), Reducing Harm,
Supporting Recovery - a health lead response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland (2017), the
National Get Ireland Walking Strategy (2017), National Connecting for Life (2015-2022)
and National Positive Ageing Strategy (2013).

With a focus on the implementation of these Plans, there is recognition that these policies
and plans have to be integrated and implemented at local level. The Louth Local Community
Development Committee is ideally placed to understand local needs and issues, and also
the assets and networks unique to Louth to promote and improve the health and wellbeing
of people living in County Louth.

The Local Government Reform Act 2014 provides a stronger and clearer role for local
government in economic development and community development which is a key
element to achieving the vision set out in the Action Plan for Effective Local Government
“that local government will be the main vehicle of governance and public service at local
level, leading economic, social and community development”.

The purpose of the LECP, as provided for in the Local Government Reform Act 2014, is to
set out, for a six year period, the objectives and actions needed to promote and support
the economic development and the local and community development of the relevant
local authority area, both by itself directly and in partnership with other economic and
community development stakeholders.

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