Frances Fitzgerald
Question:86 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, he has for the development of a Health Promotion Unit; and if he intends to reappoint the Health Promotion Council. [14655/95]
Written Answers. - Health Promotion Unit.
My Department has had a Health Promotion Unit since 1988. The unit has a dual remit:
a policy formulation function within the Department concerned with strategic planning, priority setting, research and evaluation and the development of a multi-sectoral approach to health issues at national and local level;
an executive function concerned with the development and implementation of national and local health promotion programmes independent or in conjunction with statutory and non-statutory agencies.
The Unit has built up an important liaison with health boards and non-statutory agencies in the course of its work. The Health Promotion Strategy, which I launched last July, contains a commitment to the establishment of a National Consultative Committee on Health Promotion. I will chair the committee which I intend to convene shortly.