Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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456. To ask the Minister for Health the detail of the €5 million funding announced for Healthy Ireland; the way in which the fund will be allocated in terms of selection criteria, distribution and evaluation; when use of the fund will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25584/17]

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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In July 2016 Government approved the creation of a Healthy Ireland Fund and subsequently provided an initial allocation of €5 million in Budget 2017 to kick-start its establishment.

The Healthy Ireland Fund will help drive the cross-governmental approach as set out in the Healthy Ireland Framework to improve the mental and physical health and wellbeing of the population.

The main aim of the Fund is to support innovative, cross-sectoral, evidence based projects, programmes and initiatives that support the implementation of the key national policies in areas such as Obesity, Smoking, Alcohol, Physical Activity and Sexual Health. In particular the Fund will be for projects and programmes aimed at children and young people and their families, and supporting communities and vulnerable groups who are at most risk of experiencing health inequalities.

The Fund will support actions towards the achievement of the goals of the Healthy Ireland Framework, which are:

1. Increase the proportion of people who are healthy at all stages of life;

2. Reduce health inequalities;

3. Protect the public from threats to health and wellbeing; and

4. Create an environment where every individual and sector of society can play their part in achieving a healthy Ireland.

Work by my Department on the establishment of the Fund is at an advanced stage, and upon the commencement of the Fund I will make an announcement that will provide further detail.