Public Consultation launched to inform the development of Ireland’s next National Action Plan for Antimicrobial Resistance
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From: Department of Health; Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Published on: 27 May 2025
- Last updated on: 27 May 2025
The Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have today jointly launched an online survey which provides the public with an opportunity to inform the development of Ireland’s next National Action Plan for Antimicrobial Resistance.
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) causes medicines such as antibiotics to become less effective, or even useless, in the treatment of infection. This increases the likelihood of disease spread or severe illness. AMR is recognised as one of the top ten global public health threats by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
To tackle this issue, Ireland has adopted a holistic One Health approach working across human health, animal health, and the environment sectors, using our national action plan as a roadmap.
The survey which is open to the general public, is a key step in the stakeholder consultation process on the new action plan, which will be Ireland’s third action plan on AMR. We are seeking the views of participants on antibiotic use, current policy on AMR, and future actions that Ireland should take to address this important issue. The survey will remain open until Friday, 13 June 2025.
The Chief Medical Officer for the Department of Health, Professor Mary Horgan, said:
"Antimicrobial resistance is ranked as is one of the top threats to public health globally. The emergence and spread of resistant microbes threaten our ability to treat common infections and perform lifesaving medical and surgical procedures that allow people to live healthier for longer.
"We have made a lot of important progress over the first two national action plans therefore it is essential for us to build on this work to ensure that we protect access to safe and effective medicines."
The Chief Nursing Officer for the Department of Health, Rachel Kenna, said:
"As with our previous national action plans, a guiding principle in the development of this plan will be a focus on people – patients and their families, clinical staff, and all healthcare workers – working together to reduce antibiotic use and prevent infection.
"This survey gives us an opportunity to hear the views of the public on how we should continue to address the challenge that AMR presents."
The Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr June Fanning added that:
"AMR remains a challenge not just for human health, but also animal health, food security and our shared environment. Ireland has always adopted a One Health collaborative approach to tackling AMR involving many different sectors and I welcome this survey which will guide our collective efforts to continue to effectively address AMR over the next 5 years."
Notes
Further information on AMR and Ireland’s current national action plan on AMR, iNAP2, is available on the joint AMR webpage.
National Action Plans on AMR
National Action Plans on AMR are an international commitment for members of both the European Commission and the World Health Organisation.
iNAP2 was developed following the WHO Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. The plan contains a range of strategic interventions and activities across the human health, animal health and environmental sectors grouped under five strategic objectives aimed at:
- Improving awareness and knowledge of AMR;
- Enhancing surveillance of antibiotic resistance and antibiotic use;
- Reducing the spread of infection and disease;
- Optimizing the use of antibiotics in human and animal health; and
- Promoting research and sustainable investment in new medicines, diagnostic tools, vaccines and other interventions
What AMR is
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is resistance of a microorganism to a drug that was originally effective for treatment of infections caused by that microorganism. Resistant microorganisms (including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites) are able to withstand attack by antimicrobial drugs, such as antibacterial drugs (e.g., antibiotics), antifungals, antivirals, and antimalarials, so that standard treatments become ineffective and infections persist, increasing the risk of spread to others.
AMR is a natural process that happens over time through genetic changes in pathogens. However, its emergence and spread is accelerated by human activity, mainly through the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials to treat, prevent or control infections in humans, animals and plants.
Antimicrobials are essential to the practice of modern medicine, enabling sophisticated medical interventions and treatments, such as chemotherapy and organ transplants.
What One Health is
The One Health concept is a worldwide strategy for expanding interdisciplinary collaborations and communications in all aspects of health care for humans, animals and the environment. Recognising that human health, animal health and ecosystem health are inextricably linked, One Health seeks to promote, improve and defend the health and well-being of all species by enhancing cooperation and collaboration between physicians, veterinarians, other scientific health and environmental professionals and by promoting strengths in leadership and management to achieve these goals.
There is international consensus through the One Health Initiative to which the WHO (World Health Organisation), FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) and the OIE (World Health Organisation for Animal Health) are signatories, that tackling the global public health threat of AMR requires action across human and animal health sectors, agriculture and the wider environment.
National Interdepartmental Antimicrobial Resistance Consultative Committee
At a national level the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) of the Department of Health, and the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, co chair the National Interdepartmental Antimicrobial Resistance Consultative Committee. The Committee was established in 2014 and membership consists of representatives of both departments, relevant HSE agencies, EPA, HPRA, FSAI and other key stakeholder groupings in the human and animal health sectors.