Bodies under the aegis of the Department of Health

The Dental Council was established under the provisions of the Dentists Act 1985. It aims to promote high standards of professional education and professional conduct among dentists.

The principal function of the Food Safety Authority is to take all reasonable steps to ensure that food produced, distributed or marketed in the State meets the highest standards of food safety and hygiene.

The role of the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, known as CORU, is to protect the public by promoting high standards of professional conduct, education, training and competence through statutory registration and regulation of health and social care professionals, in accordance with the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005.

The Health Information and Quality Authority is an independent authority responsible for driving quality, safety and accountability in residential services for children, older people and people with disabilities in Ireland.

The authority is also responsible for driving improvements in the quality and safety of healthcare on behalf of patients. This includes developing standards, monitoring compliance with standards and carrying out investigations where there are reasonable grounds to do so.

The Health Insurance Authority is a statutory regulator of the private health insurance market in Ireland. The authority also provides information to consumers regarding their rights and health insurance plans and benefits.

The role of the Health Products Regulatory Authority is to protect and enhance public and animal health by regulating medicines, medical devices and other health products. The authority also monitors the safety of cosmetics.

The Health Research Board is the lead agency in Ireland supporting and funding health research.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has responsibility for running the public health services in Ireland.

A list of their services can be found here.

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service is the statutory body with responsibility for the national blood supply. It was established by Statutory Instrument No. 78 of 1965. The service also provides testing and tissue services to hospitals and is responsible for the Irish Unrelated Bone Marrow Registry.

The Medical Council regulates medical doctors in Ireland. Its purpose is to protect the public by promoting and better ensuring high standards of professional conduct and professional education, training and competence among doctors.

The Mental Health Commission promotes high standards in the delivery of mental health services and ensures the interests of those involuntarily admitted to Approved Centres are protected.

The National Cancer Registry has been collecting comprehensive cancer information for the whole population of Ireland since 1994. The information collected is used in research into the causes of cancer, in education and information programmes, and in the National Cancer Strategy to deliver the best cancer care to the entire population.

The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board is responsible for overseeing the building of the new National Children's Hospital. It is chaired by Interim Chair Tim Bouchier-Hayes and led by Chief Officer David Gunning. The board's members have the necessary architecture, planning, engineering and procurement experience and expertise to bring this very large and complex project to completion.

The National Treatment Purchase Fund, in conjunction with the Special Delivery Unit, is working to support the delivery of the reform of the scheduled and unscheduled care pathway with all of the clinical and managerial leaders in individual hospitals.

The principal function of the Nursing and Midwifery Board is to protect the public through high standards of professional education and training.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland is an independent statutory body, established by the Pharmacy Act 2007. It is responsible for the effective regulation of pharmacy services in Ireland, including supervising compliance with the Act.

The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council is an independent statutory body which sets the standards for education and training for pre-hospital emergency care in Ireland. The council publishes clinical practice guidelines and allows institutions to provide pre-hospital emergency care training and education.

Set up under the British-Irish agreement, safefood is an all-island implementation body with a general remit to promote awareness and knowledge of food safety and nutrition issues on the island of Ireland.

The body's activities include:

• promotion of food safety
• research into food safety
• communication of nutritional advice
• promotion of scientific co-operation and laboratory linkages
• providing independent scientific advice
• delivering consumer-focused reviews

The Voluntary Health Insurance Board, commonly referred to as Vhi Healthcare, is a statutory body whose members are appointed by the Minister for Health. It helps people in Ireland to access the best value, quality private healthcare through its extensive range of healthcare products and services.

It is the largest health insurance company in Ireland.

There is further information regarding appointments to state boards under the aegis of the department.