The Environmental Health Service of the above jurisdictions warmly welcomes the development of the above Plan and is pleased to have an opportunity to feed into and submit professional viewpoints on relevant aspects of same relating to health and environment.

General commentary:

As a Mission statement and Policy document for a Local Authority the scope, content, detail and complexity of the overall Plan is wide ranging and extensive. Notwithstanding same we are of the opinion that there are gaps and omissions which are worthy of examination, with a view to inclusion in any revised document.

Specifically we feel strongly that the protection of health has not been adequately addressed and the concept of maximising of health potential being incorporated into the goals or decision making outcomes within the Plan, has not been pursued. It is our strong opinion that health protection and population health should form a fundamental part of any meaningful Plan and that identifying and controlling the critical factors which influence health determinants would constitute a significant part of the plan. In particular we would liked to have seen some commitment to assessing health gain oppurtunities, primarily but not exclusively in the development of the built environment.

The health priorities set out in the Plan for Limerick are clear at:

https://www.lenus.ie/bitstream/handle/10147/584020/Limerick+City.pdf;jsessionid=DA05A1A3E127630296E8A5839624D778?sequence=1

https://www.lenus.ie/bitstream/handle/10147/584048/Limerick+County.pdf?sequence=1

and we would have liked to see some tie in or improved linkage to these, somewhere in the goals that are identified therein.We believe strongly that a primary goal of the Plan as set out, should be to consider and incorporate into the Plan, suitable strategies for maximising health and minimising existing and future health inequalities of populations within Limerick City and County.

The Plan should link better and reconcile more closely to the National Climate Adaption plan which provides the framework and template for appropriate actions and oppurtunities on a National/Regional basis.

https://www.limerick.ie/sites/default/files/media/documents/2019-09/Limerick-City-and-County-Council-Climate-Change-Adaptation-Strategy-2019-2024.pdf

Our view is that the Plan should examine in more detail at how services are delivered and some form of sustainability assessment should be provided for, and details of same set out in the plan.

The Plan, we feel is not specific or focused enough on social inclusion and in identifying appropriate measures to facilitate same, in the community development area.

Likewise, inequalities in health of specific communities and populations, indigineous or otherwise should be the subject of more detailed consideration, in the knowledge that such communities exist within Limerick City and County.

It is felt that the issue of Homelessness/Inadequate/unsuitable/unfit housing and health impacts is worthy of further and closer examination with a view to developing suitable and focused solution strategies that can impact positively on population health.

Draft Corporate Plan 2019-2024 - Aighneachtaí

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