Limerick Health Equity Region sets first steps to tackle child poverty

The Limerick Health Equity Region Oversight Group has, at its latest meeting, confirmed a series of immediate initiatives to inform the programme, focusing especially on tackling child poverty in Limerick City in 2026.

The Limerick Health Equity Region Oversight Group*, made up of leaders of key agencies in the city, met for the sixth time on Friday to reflect on the programme to date and to discuss an activity roadmap for 2026.

The Oversight Group is seeking to implement Ireland’s first Health Equity Region in Limerick, following the internationally-recognised ‘Marmot Places’ framework in the United Kingdom, pioneered and steered by Public Health expert Professor Sir Michael Marmot.

The programme is co-sponsored by Mayor of Limerick John Moran and HSE Mid West Regional Executive Officer, Sandra Broderick.

Since November 2025, members of the Oversight Group have met on a number of occasions and recently met with Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram—other leaders of the Marmot Places framework—and Prof Sir Michael Marmot to discuss priorities for Limerick City.

The Oversight Group agreed that Q1 of 2026 will involve enhanced engagement in communities in Limerick City North and South.

The initial focus following the Marmot principles will be on the lives of children living in the most disadvantaged communities, which will involve meeting with and talking to communities over the coming months to identify the community priorities. Successful projects in other cities have all depended on starting co-creation with communities at a very early stage.

This is part of the initial phase of giving every child the best start in life**.

Initiatives in progress and being prioritised for the coming weeks and months include:

• Focus groups with children in North and South City communities
• Examination of early years provision in the city
• Studies to examine the relationships between Low birth weight and childhood obesity and living with disadvantage
• Survey of teenagers in Limerick City 
• Co-production of Health Equity logo and branding with local children

These initiatives follow the recent interventions on King’s Island outlined by Mayor Moran in his 2026 budget speech in November.

Limerick Health Equity Region chairperson, Dr Mai Mannix, welcomed the progressed to date:

* The Limerick Health Equity Region Oversight Group comprises senior leaders from Limerick City and County Council, HSE Mid West, An Garda Siochana, Department of Social Protection Limerick, Limerick Chamber of Commerce, Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, Limerick Probation Services, Limerick Prison, Mary Immaculate College, OSCAILT, University of Limerick, Technological University of Shannon, TUSLA.

** The Marmot Principles were coined by renowned Public Health expert, Professor Sir Michael Marmot. Prof Marmot is the Founder and Director of the University College London Institute of Health Equity, which supports regions becoming ‘Marmot Places’, which implement the eight principles.  The eight principles are:

1. Give every child the best start in life.
2. Enable all children, young people and adults to maximise their capabilities and have control over their lives.
3. Create fair employment and good work for all.
4. Ensure a healthy standard of living for all.
5. Create and develop healthy and sustainable places and communities.
6. Strengthen the role and impact of ill health prevention.
7. Tackle racism, discrimination and their outcomes.
8. Pursue environmental sustainability and health equity together.