James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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441. To ask the Minister for Health in view of the fact that the national men's health policy expired in 2013, his plans on presenting a new policy and, if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34445/16]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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442. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to implement the Baker review; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34446/16]

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 441 and 442 together.

Following publication of the Men's Health Policy (2008-2013), an independent report was commissioned by the HSE under Peter Baker to review the National Policy. Subsequent to this the HSE has developed and completed an Action Plan. The HSE has established a Group under the Health and Wellbeing Programme and is currently progressing its implementation.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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443. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to update Healthy Ireland to take account of the Baker review recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34447/16]

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Healthy Ireland: A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025 was approved by Government in February 2013. It sets out a vision and four over-arching goals to improve the health and wellbeing for the entire population of Ireland over the coming generation. Implementation of the Framework over the period to 2025 will take account of emerging evidence, research, international best practice and national policy developments.

I am happy to update the Deputy on current implementation of Healthy Ireland. Key current priorities include:

Implementation of the National Physical Activity Plan

Get Ireland Active – the National Physical Activity Plan for Ireland which was developed in partnership with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and a range of key stakeholders including the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, was launched in January 2016.

Implementation during 2016 is concentrating on development of a communications campaign (led by the Department of Health) and supporting physical education in schools (Department of Education and Skills and PDST) amongst other initiatives.

National Sexual Health Strategy 2015-2020

The National Sexual Health Strategy 2015-2020was launched in October 2015. It takes a takes a life course approach, acknowledging the importance of developing a healthy attitude to sexuality in young people and of building on that foundation for positive sexual health and wellbeing into adulthood and older age. The Strategy is being delivered in partnership between the Department of Health, the HSE and the Department of Education and Skills.

A Clinical Lead for Sexual Health Services has been appointed and a strategy implementation group has been established to deliver the actions and goals of the strategy. A 2017-2020 action plan is currently being developed.

Healthy Ireland Survey

The annual Healthy Ireland Survey was commissioned to enhance data collection and monitoring capacity to track progress in achieving targets to evaluate the success of Healthy Ireland. The first Healthy Ireland Survey Report was published in October 2015, with the report on the second wave published in October 2016. Survey results give an up-to-date picture of the heath of the population.

Data collection for Wave 3 of the study is now underway.

Alignment of Education and Health Services

The Health and Wellbeing Programme and the Department of Education and Skills, in partnership with the HSE and PDST (Professional Development Service for Teachers), are working to strengthening collaboration, streamline and simplify current structures for the promotion of health and wellbeing in schools and to develop a more comprehensive service alignment to support the delivery of SPHE (Social, Personal and Health Education) and to extend the Health Promoting Schools initiative more widely in schools.

The Department of Education and Skills has announced the introduction of Wellbeing as a compulsory area of learning (encompassing the subjects SPHE, PE and CSPE) from September 2017 in the new Junior Cycle Framework. A particular focus for the Department of Health and the HSE is to ensure that the health service is fully supporting health and wellbeing in school settings around the country.

Healthy Workplaces Framework

My Department, with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, is leading a subgroup to develop a National Healthy Workplace Framework. This work primarily involves development of a framework to encourage and support the development of Health and Wellbeing programmes in all places of employment. The objective is to support employers to develop individual, practical plans identifying how they will protect and promote the physical, mental and social wellbeing of their employees, within the context of their own size, sector, location, number of employees, etc.

In addition, the workplace wellbeing element of the Health and Wellbeing (Calorie posting and workplace wellbeing) Bill which is in development will require all public sector workplaces to have and report on a healthy workplace policy.

'Warmth and Wellbeing' Pilot Project

The Warmth and Wellbeing initiative is a new pilot scheme commencing in 2016, available in Dublin 12 and 24. It aims to establish if the provision of extensive energy efficiency upgrades to homes can have a positive effect on the health and wellbeing of the people living in the homes.

The Health and Wellbeing Programme is supporting this project which is being led by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and is a key action in the recently published Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty. The pilot will involve carrying out deep energy efficiency improvements to the homes of people with living with Asthma or COPD and who are in receipt of the fuel allowances and measuring the benefits to health and wellbeing.

Healthy Cities and Counties

Building on the work of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network, my Department and the National Healthy Cities and Counties Network of Ireland are working to develop a structure and provide supports to implement Healthy Ireland at local level. The Network aims to encourage best practice in promoting lifelong health, provide a forum through which local issues can influence national policy, and provide a voice for Ireland within the WHO Network of European Healthy Cities.

Work in 2016 focused on raising awareness and encouraging counties to join. The Network will be officially launched on 29 November 2016; five counties (Cork, Galway, Waterford, Mayo and South Dublin) will receive accreditation at the event and be named Healthy Counties.

Healthy Ireland Outcomes Framework

The development of the Healthy Ireland Outcomes Framework is nearing completion and a first version is due for publication in 2016. The Outcomes Framework will provide evidence to support an objective assessment of the impacts of Healthy Ireland and to help partners in wider government and society to prioritise their actions towards improving health and wellbeing.