Key findings of review of HIA in Ireland

A major review of HIA activities in Ireland and the role of the Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) in promoting HIA has found that IPH has had a substantial impact on:

• Developing appropriate HIA tools
• Promoting the use of these tools
• Providing appropriate training and capacity building
• Providing follow-up support
• Providing networking opportunities
• Raising the awareness of HIA and
• Conducting HIAs

The review's respondents identifed continuing strategic and operational challenges to mainstreaming HIA. Key among these are:

• Lack of legislative requirement
• Lack of explicitly defined responsibilities for implementing HIA
  
• Lack of resources - time, staff, skills, finance

Respondents also suggested worthwhile areas of possible future work for the IPH:

• Lobbying for HIA to be given a legislative/statutory authority.
• Providing more 'hands on support' undertaking and IPH itself carrying out more HIAs.

The overall conclusions emphasised the need for a three-pronged approach to enhancing HIA in Ireland:

• 1st - The HIA process needs to be further streamlined.
• 2nd - Further and continuing capacity-building and training needs to be put in place.
  
• 3rd - Political support for HIA is needs to be further developed.

For full details of the report and the work of the Institute go to the IPH website by clicking here.

Click here to go directly to the review page by clicking here

Click here to download the report directly (250kb)