This podcast is brought to you by the Institute of Public Health, which works in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Public Health Matters: S3 Ep1: Dr Austin O’Carroll on Making Sense of Street Chaos
To get a flavour of what's to come at this year's North South Joint Public Health Conference, we spoke to one of the keynote speakers, Dr Austin O'Carroll, about Making Sense of Street Chaos. This year the conference theme is the 'Health-Wealth Divide: Leaving No One Behind' and in this episode (recorded on 13 November) we discuss everything from the recent cluster of heroin overdoses in Dublin to the root causes of homelessness, such as poverty and deprivation, and much more. Nov 22, 2023, 39:10

S2 Ep2: Healthy Planet, Healthy People – How health and economics should inform our response to the Climate Crisis, with Professor John Barry
Professor John Barry, Professor of Green Political Economy at Queens University Belfast, discusses the relationship between health, the economy and climate change. In this episode, Prof Barry shares some insights in advance of his keynote presentation at the Healthy Planet, Healthy People conference on 30 November. Nov 15, 2022, 33:50

S2, Ep1: The Air We Breathe - The case for Ireland's new solid fuel regulations, with Professor Pat Goodman
Professor Pat Goodman from the Technological University in Dublin, an expert in environmental and medical physics, discusses the roll out of new solid fuel regulations in Ireland and how they fit into the bigger picture of air pollution, climate change and our health. The new solid fuel regulations restrict the commercial sale of smoky fuels, such as coal, turf and wet wood and set new emissions standards for approved fuels and take effect from 31 October. Nov 07, 2022, 30:36

Lessons from Public Health S1 Ep5: Minimum Unit Pricing for alcohol – Lessons from Scotland, with Dr Eric Carlin
Dr Eric Carlin shares some personal insights into what lessons can be learnt from the Scottish experience of introducing Minimum Unit Pricing or MUP for alcohol. Dr Carlin was Director of Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems when Scotland became the first country to roll out MUP and today works as a consultant Public Health Expert in Alcohol Policies with the World Health Organisation in Europe. The Public Health Matters Podcast speaks to experts about the big public health issues of the day and what lessons we can learn from past challenges. This is the last episode in this first series, Sep 06, 2022, 36:58

Lessons from Public Health S1 Ep4: Food for Thought - How does marketing influence what we eat, with Dr Norah Campbell
We speak to Dr Norah Campbell, Associate Professor in Marketing at Trinity Business School about how marketing and advertising challenges public health and influences what we consume. Dr Campbell's research interest is in food marketing and in this wide-ranging discussion we touch on how sophisticated food marketing feeds into obesity, the snack industry and being treatwise, the concept of introducing plain packaging for junk food, and much more. Aug 29, 2022, 30:59

Lessons from Public Health S1 Ep3: Ireland’s smoking ban – Realising a world first, with Professor Luke Clancy
We speak to Professor Luke Clancy of the Tobacco Free Research Institute about the bold move by Ireland to introduce the world’s first smoking ban in 2004. A doctor, academic and long-time advocate for tougher tobacco control measures, Professor Clancy was a key player in the 1980s smoky coal ban in Dublin and in the 2004 Workplace Smoking Ban, which we discuss in this episode along with the key tobacco control challenges that remain today. Further information and support on how to quit smoking For Ireland visit Quit For Northern Ireland visit Stop Smoking NI. Aug 22, 2022, 31:00

Lessons from Public Health S1 Ep2: The mental health legacy of The Troubles with Northern Ireland's Mental Health Champion, Professor Siobhan O'Neill
We speak to Northern Ireland’s Mental Health Champion, Professor Siobhan O’Neill, about the high rate of mental health issues in Northern Ireland, the mental health legacy of The Troubles, and some of the factors at play. Siobhan is Professor of Mental Health Sciences at Ulster University and a leading expert on mental health and suicide prevention. Professor O'Neill was appointed Northern Ireland’s first Mental Health Champion in September last year. The Public Health Matters Podcast speaks to experts about the big public health issues of the day and what lessons we can learn from past challenges. So stay tuned to stay informed about Public Health Matters and what matters now. Aug 15, 2022, 30:14

Lessons from Public Health S1 Ep1 - Sir Michael Marmot on Living for Longer – How social factors influence life expectancy
In the first series of the Public Health Matters podcast we look at what lessons we can learn from public health. In this, the first episode, we speak to Sir Michael Marmot, a Professor of Epidemiology at University College London, known across the globe for his ground-breaking work on the health gaps that exist between rich and poor. Professor Marmot has led research groups in health inequalities for over 40 years and chaired the Commission on the Social Determinants of Health set up by WHO, among many other projects. He has published widely on the topic, from his seminal book, 'The Health Gap: The Challenge Of An Unequal World', to reports on closing the gap and building back a fairer society post-Covid. In this episode Professor Marmot joins us to talk about how social factors such as housing, education, and income impact our health and life expectancy and what we can do about that. Aug 08, 2022, 46:23