News & Events

Minister Corcoran Kennedy and Minister Breen launch public consultation on Healthy Ireland – Healthy Workplace Framework

Healthy workplaces are key to a Healthy Ireland

Minister for Health Promotion, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy TD, and Minister for Employment and Small Business, Pat Breen TD, today (Tuesday) launched a public consultation on a new Healthy Workplace Framework.

The framework will provide guidance, which can be adapted to any workplace setting, to help create and sustain healthy workplaces throughout Ireland.

The development of the Healthy Workplace Framework is an initiative under the Healthy Ireland agenda and is being led by the two Departments in partnership with stakeholders.

Addressing the launch, which included representatives from across the public and private sector, Minister Corcoran Kennedy said “we know work is good for our health and the workplace offers the perfect opportunity to promote health to a large audience. With almost two million people in employment in Ireland, this message can reach over half the population”.

The Minister went on to say that, “Working in partnership with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation reflects the core principles and ethos of Healthy Ireland, which is about government and wider society taking steps towards making Ireland a healthier and prosperous nation”.

Minister Breen acknowledged that “significant progress has been made in recent years in relation to safety in the workplace through legislation and enforcement, which is evident with the reduction in workplace accidents. However, the two main causes of workplace ill-health now are musculoskeletal disorders and stress, which present new challenges”.

Minister Breen went on to say “we have a particular challenge with the large number of small businesses in Ireland and the new framework will need to address this by  reflecting on best  practice in other countries and incorporating positive health messages within  Health and Safety”.

The Minister acknowledged the commitment of his Department in supporting the development of the Healthy Workplace Framework, stating that, “a healthy workforce benefits all of society and contributes to economic growth as well as improved health outcomes”.

Minister Corcoran Kennedy acknowledged the work by both Departments to date and concluded by officially launching the online consultation - surveymonkey.com/r/HealthyWorkplaceFramework - which goes live today and which will be open until the 19th May 2017.  The aim of the consultation is to gather the views of stakeholders on priority issues to be addressed in the framework which is intended to provide flexible guidance that can be adapted to any workplace setting to help create and sustain healthy workplaces throughout Ireland.

As well as today’s consultation workshop at the launch event, additional workshops are scheduled for Cork, Limerick and Sligo in the coming weeks and details are available on surveymonkey.com/r/VV25FYS.

ENDS

Press and Communications Office, Department of Health| (+353) 1 635 4477 | www.health.gov.ie | Twitter @roinnslainte