Mr. Tony Fitzgerald:

Tá áthas orm a bheith anseo. I wish to place the role of elected members in the healthy cities and counties movement at the heart of local authorities. I am delighted to take this opportunity to contribute at this meeting.

Local authorities provide the political leadership for advancing priorities in a vast array of services to people in their everyday lives, from city and development planning and urban design, renewal and regeneration to sustainable economic development and the maintenance and provision of public parks. I have witnessed how efficient public services lead to positive societal health and well-being.

The World Health Organization states that healthy and thriving cities demand social, economic, human and planetary wellbeing. To achieve this, we need to place health at the heart of city planning. Cork has been a designated WHO healthy city since 2012. The WHO healthy cities European network is a movement that captures and motivates local democracy within cities in the WHO European region as a tangible pathway to supporting health for all at local level. The movement’s emphasis is on political endeavour, led by European health policy, supported by national health policy and delivered at local level.

The WHO healthy cities network has brought together more than 100 flagship cities and approximately 30 national networks, which is a testament to the positive experience that cities have had in successfully embedding intersectoral action on health. Cork and Belfast are the only two cities on the island of Ireland with designated WHO healthy city status. Ireland has a national network of healthy cities, with all local authorities currently employing healthy city and county co-ordinators. Healthy city and county collaboration has driven change in local political, social, economic and urban design policy agendas. The main principles of the healthy cities movement include community participation, working in partnership, empowerment and equality. The framework of the healthy cities approach is based on three key factors: the importance of local action in all aspects of developing health in local authorities; the importance of urban settings for health and wellbeing; and the key role of local governments in creating conditions and supportive environments for healthy living for all.

What does this mean in reality? A Chathaoirligh, I am sure a Kerryman would not deny a Corkman the opportunity to tell him the tangible steps we are taking in Cork. We have placed health at the heart of city planning. We are proud of our designation as a WHO healthy city and we have committed to it in our city development plan, which sets out how Cork city will grow and develop over the next six years, continuing to be an innovative, vibrant and healthy city.

As the political representative for Cork’s healthy cities movement, I proactively engage with my fellow councillors to ensure that the healthy cities action plan is circulated and central to every strategic policy group, not least the corporate policy group, endorsed and discussed at council, and approved by all of our 31 members. Health and well-being are central to decision- and policy-making at local authority level. Ensuring high-quality homes, liveable streets and neighbourhoods, clean air, sustainable economic development, active transport and safe community spaces means we will have a healthy, thriving population.

This public consultation forum could be a platform for each local authority to select elected members for the local healthy cities and counties movement following this year’s local elections, which could create a forum for health and wellbeing as a political priority over the next few years.

I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his role in this matter. I thank members for listening to me.