Irish Aid and HSE partner to enhance Ireland’s contribution to Global Health

Minister of State Joe McHugh and HSE Director General Tony O'Brien

Irish Aid and the HSE in partnership to enhance Ireland’s contribution to Global Health

Minister of State for the Diaspora & International Development, Mr Joe McHugh TD, and Health Service Executive Director General, Mr Tony O’ Brien, today signed an agreement to renew the partnership between Irish Aid and the HSE in order to enhance Ireland’s overall contribution to Global Health and Development.

This Memorandum of Understanding aims to build on collaboration between Irish Aid and the HSE that began over a decade ago. The agreement aims to support the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure better health in Ireland’s partner countries by using technical expertise available in the HSE to advance the objectives of Ireland's development cooperation programme.  It combines the skills and experience of two Government Departments to achieve a common goal. 

Speaking at the signing today, Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Mr Joe McHugh T.D., said:

“Irish Aid is committed to ensuring access to quality basic essential services to the poor and marginalised in our Partner Countries, and working towards achieving the targets set out in the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires us to work in partnership and this collaboration is an excellent example of cross-department and whole of government action – harnessing the capacity of our people and our institutions to deliver on our development goals abroad.  It is about working to our strengths to add value where it is most needed.”

The HSE Director General, Mr Tony O’Brien added:

“The partnership with Irish Aid is of mutual benefit.  Through the exceptional commitment of our staff the HSE contributes to improving health in low income countries.  Initiatives such as the HSE collaboration in Mozambique directly assist the Government’s aid programme.  In turn, our staff gain new learning and skills which helps improve the quality of our own health services.”

Previous achievements under the collaboration include building a partnership between the HSE and the Ministry of Health in Mozambique - one of our partner countries - to focus on improving the quality of hospital care throughout Mozambique; strengthening Ireland’s response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa; and supporting Ireland’s leadership in human resources for health. 

ENDS

Press Office

03 May 2017

Notes to the editor

• Irish Aid is the Government’s programme for overseas development. It is a division of the Department of Foreign Affairs. For further information see www.irishaid.ie. 
• The purpose of the collaboration is to strengthen Ireland’s overall contribution to health outcomes in low income countries, while also strengthening the HSE's global engagement for the benefit of Irish Health Service within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, using a Whole of Government approach.
• The MoU signed today sets out key areas for collaboration:

• Contribute expertise and provide technical assistance to Irish Aid.
• Strengthen and foster partnerships with developing countries by the HSE, its staff and institutions
• Strengthen Ireland’s response to global health emergencies
• Any other areas as agreed by the Director General of the HSE and the Director General of Irish Aid
• This MoU is based on a revision to the previous MoU that ran from 2010 – 2017. Areas of collaboration under the previous 2010 MoU included provision of technical expertise to Irish Aid; the development of ESTHER Ireland; partnerships with Ireland’s Key Partner Countries and assistance with health emergency response.
• An independent review of the 2010 MoU in 2015 found that “the collaboration clearly operates strategic complementarity with both foreign and domestic policy” and “the partnership between IA and the HSE enshrines an ‘all of government approach’”