Fingal County Council receive €138,400 of funding for local Health and Well-being Projects

Fingal County Council has been granted €138,400 of funding by the Department of Health as part of its Healthy Ireland Fund to be distributed across nine projects designed to improve the health and well-being of Fingal residents.

Healthy Ireland, A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025 is the national framework for action to improve the health and wellbeing of Ireland over the coming generation. It is being implemented on a local level as part of Fingal’s Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) 2016 – 2021.

The nine projects set to benefit will support innovative, cross-sectoral, evidence-based projects and initiatives that support the implementation of key national policies in areas such as obesity, smoking and physical activity.

The scheme is being administered by Fingal’s Local Community Development Committee working in partnership with the Fingal Children and Young People’s Services Committees (FCYPSCs) and supports projects and programmes aimed at children, young people and their families as well as communities and groups who are at most risk of experiencing health problems.

Fingal County Council Chief Executive Paul Reid highlighted the importance of supporting programmes aiming to improve the overall health and well-being of communities: “We have been shown repeatedly the proven negative effects that smoking, obesity and physical inactivity have on people of all ages within our communities. I am particularly delighted to see so much funding being given to projects for the benefit of children and adolescents. As we have the youngest and fastest growing population in the country, it is vital that we invest in the health and well-being of our residents.”

Programmes for the benefit of young children that will receive funding include the ‘Healthy Eating’ Project aimed at five to nine year olds will be granted €3,344 and be delivered by Mulhuddart Community Centre.

Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Mary McCamley also welcomed the initiative saying: “I am delighted to see such a wide array of groups receive this well-deserved funding. Those who will benefit are from areas all over the county, of all ages and backgrounds. This is vital to ensure that everyone in Fingal has the opportunity and supports to improve their physical and mental well-being.”

Dr. Pat O’Connor, Chair Fingal LCDC, said that “The Healthy Ireland funding is an opportunity to progress the actions in the LECP further as well as ensuring that an increased focus is placed on tobacco use, obesity and the importance of physical activity.”

Further local projects to benefit include The Empower (formerly Blanchardstown Area Partnership) Tobacco Free Campus project. This programme will receive €60,000 and aims to reduce and prevent smoking among college students in Fingal. This will be delivered across Corduff, Blakestown, Balbriggan, Swords and Donabate.

Crosscare Youth Service will be awarded €5,100 and will provide Physical Health Programmes for young people over the age of thirteen. This will be implemented in Swords.

The Healthy Weight Education Programme will be awarded €7,500 and will be delivered across North County Dublin.