Regional Health Forum Mid West elects first chair Cllr Michael Collins
Published: 24 February 2026
Updated: 26 February 2026
The new Regional Health Forum covering the HSE Mid West region has this Tuesday held its inaugural meeting and elected Cllr Michael Collins as its first chairperson.
Cllr Rita McInerney has been elected vice-chairperson of the Forum, with Cllr Bridie Collins elected as committee chair, and Cllr Francis Foley as committee vice-chair.
Regional health forums were established in 2006 as a means of facilitating representations and feedback on our public health and social care services from nominated members of local authorities. Senior HSE managers are present at forum meetings to answer questions from councillors. Since 2006, local authority members from Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary had attended meetings of the HSE West Forum in Galway.
The establishment of the Regional Health Forum Mid West follows the realignment of the HSE into six health regions. The members currently nominated for the Mid West area will now attend the new forum within their own designated region.
Speaking upon his election this Tuesday, Cllr Michael Collins said:
“I am delighted to be elected Chairperson of the first Regional Health Forum Mid West. It’s a historic day for the HSE and for Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary. I look forward to working with the management and staff of the HSE in Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary and of course with my colleagues on the Health Forum, of whom there will now be 14 members.”
Ms Maria Bridgeman, Integrated Healthcare Area Manager, Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary, HSE Mid West, and Executive Chair Regional Health Forum Mid West said: “Since the establishment of the regional health forums, the people of Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary have been ably represented by elected members seeking answers on a range of health and social care services relied on by the people of our region.
“With the new geographical alignment, I expect a more keenly trained regional focus with benefits both for our elected members and for the HSE Mid West alike. I would like to congratulate Cllr Michael Collins upon his election as the first Chairperson of the Regional Health Forum Mid West and I look forward to working with all forum members in the years ahead as we deliver services to the people of the region.”
The 14 members of the Regional Health Forum Mid West are:
Clare County Council: Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua, Cllr Mary Howard, Cllr Rita McInerney, Cllr James Ryan
Limerick City and County Council: Cllr Sharon Benson, Cllr Bridie Collins, Cllr Michael Collins, Cllr Greg Conway, Cllr Francis Foley, Cllr Liam Galvin, Cllr Elisa O’Donovan
Tipperary County Council: Cllr Phyll Bugler, Cllr Seamie Morris, Cllr JP O’Meara
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