Public Health Alliance, Ireland

The Public Health Alliance Ireland (PHAI) is an alliance of organisations and members advocating for improved health and a reduction of health inequalities in Ireland. It held its second annual general meeting on 24 Janaury 2005 in Dublin. At the meeting the PHAI launched a new publication entitled 'Creating Connections – Perspectives on Health Inequality on the Island of Ireland' which offers a collection of speeches from international and national leaders on strategies to tackle inequalities in health.

Inez McCormack, trade unionist and activist, who lanched the report said, "Enabling those who are affected by health inequalities to be 'equals at the table' with policymakers in designing, shaping and monitoring the impact of policies and practices is essential. Changing the existing realities of exclusion and humiliation is at the heart of a rights based approach to health.

"The Public Health Alliance have been particularly effective in making the connections with tackling inequalities as core to an efficient and effective delivery of health and social care."

Chairperson of the PAHI, Thomas Quigley said "advocating to redress the health imbalances on this island is the only appropriate response to this report," commented Dr. Thomas Quigley, Chair PHAI. "The Alliance can support communities, individuals and professionals in highlighting inequality and the obstacles they are encountering in challenging these root causes."

The Traveller woman has a life expectancy 12 years less than a settled woman; the Traveller man has 10 years less. The mortality rate of Traveller children is three times higher than settled children.

Travellers are only now reaching the life expectancy that settled people achieved in the 1940s. The

population of Travellers is very young – half of them are under the age of 25.

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