A National Policy Lead for Mental Health Promotion was appointed within the Department of Health in September 2025. The policy lead will lead on the implementation of Pathways to Wellbeing, Ireland’s first cross-government mental health promotion plan – designed to strengthen mental health and wellbeing at a population level.

• The annual Healthy Ireland Survey gives an up-to-date snapshot of the health of the nation monitoring progress against key policy targets. The Healthy Ireland Survey 2025 was launched on 7th November 2025, providing updates on contraception use, experiences of menopause, use of e-cigarettes and other nicotine products, sleep, caring responsibilities and alcohol harms in addition to standard annual content.
• The Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Study is an international collaboration, led by the WHO. The 2022 HBSC Study involved 51 countries; the Irish Report was published in 2024 and the Irish Trends Report in 2025. Both can be accessed on the University of Galway website. HBSC underwent re-procurement in 2025. Delivery of the next four-year HBSC cycle will be led by the University of Galway, with fieldwork to be prioritised and completed in 2026 and analysis and publication of the Irish and International 2026 Reports and a Trends report to take place during the remaining 3 years, in co-ordination with the WHO.
• Delivery of the first phase of implementation of the Healthy Workplace Programme with 38 organisations and partnership initiative launched with Chambers Ireland
• Completion of first phase of Walking Tracks initiative with IRFU and FAI and agreement on Phase 2
• Establishment of cross-sectoral group to develop a Healthy Prisons Framework