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About the Society

A voluntary society of doctors, led by an elected Council

We support doctors working in community and public health medicine to do their jobs well, through education, collaboration, dialogue, advocacy, service development and quality improvement.

Three members of the Society smiling together at the Annual Scientific Meeting

The Irish Society of Community and Public Health Medicine represents a long-standing tradition of supporting public health professionals across Ireland. Its roots trace back to 1859, when Irish members were first admitted to the Association of Metropolitan Medical Officers of Health, originally established in London in 1856.

In 1919 the Society adopted a new constitution to better reflect its role as the representative body for the Public Health Service in Ireland, and membership was extended to all medical officers engaged in public health work.

Much has changed in community and public health since, but the work remains constant: child health screening and immunisation, infectious disease surveillance and contact tracing, and much more. Each autumn the Society hosts its Annual Scientific Meeting in Dublin, bringing members together to share updates, insights, research and innovation.

Practice

To promote, advance and encourage the practice of community and public health medicine.

Collaboration

To encourage knowledge sharing based on recent evidence to guide community and public health medicine.

Advocacy

To assist in obtaining better working conditions and facilities for members.

Meet the Council

Council is made up of the president, out-going president, secretary, treasurer, assistant treasurer and ordinary members, elected each year at the Annual General Meeting.

The 2025 Council of the Society gathered for a group photograph

Officers

Council members

Council meetings in 2026

Council meets at least once a quarter. The 2026 meetings are:

  • 15 January
  • 26 February
  • 26 March
  • 14 May
  • 25 June
  • 13 August
  • 10 September

Committees and working groups

Much of the Council's work is carried out by subcommittees and working groups, which support it in fulfilling the Society's objectives.

Past presidents

  1. Dr C. F. Warde1984 to 1985
  2. Dr P. Quinn1985 to 1986
  3. Dr J. Solan1986 to 1987
  4. Dr M. Cooney1987 to 1988
  5. Dr N. DeSouza1988 to 1989
  6. Dr T. Jackson1989 to 1990
  7. Dr A. Shannon1990 to 1991
  8. Dr N. DeSouza1991 to 1992
  9. Dr H. Pelly1992 to 1993
  10. Dr H. Brenner1993 to 1995
  11. Dr Sheila MacEvilly1995 to 1997
  12. Dr Maura O’Shea1997 to 1999
  13. Dr P. Prendiville1999 to 2001
  14. Dr H. Murray2001 to 2003
  15. Dr M. Kieran2003 to 2005
  16. Dr P. Lyng2005 to 2007
  17. Dr P. Gilvarry2007 to 2009
  18. Dr C. Higgins2009 to 2011
  19. Dr D. Healy2011 to 2013
  20. Dr B. Lynam2013 to 2014
  21. Dr D. Fahey2014 to 2016
  22. Dr Bridin Cannon2016 to 2018
  23. Dr Sieneke Hakvoort2018 to 2022
  24. Dr Catherine O’Malley2022 to 2024
  25. Dr Hafi Saad2024 to present