Institute for Child Health Ireland launched to advance research, innovation and better outcomes for children
New institute aims to strengthen collaboration between healthcare professionals, researchers, universities and families to shape the future of child health in Ireland
Oct. 19, 2026
CHI at Temple Street, CHI at Tallaght, CHI at Connolly (by appointment), CHI at Crumlin
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CHI CEO Lucy Nugent and Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD at the ICHI launch
CEO of Children's Health Ireland Lucy Nugent with members of ICHI
Dublin, Ireland | 20 October 2026
Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), with national university partners launched the Institute for Child Health Ireland yesterday, a major initiative designed to advance child health through research, innovation, education and collaboration, with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for children and young people across Ireland.
The launch at the RCSI’s Humanarium building, represents an important opportunity to build on CHI’s existing research and innovation infrastructure, including its Clinical Research Centre, university partnerships and plans for an integrated academic healthcare campus associated with the new children’s hospital. The Institute will seek to support the development of new knowledge, improve clinical practice and help translate research discoveries into meaningful benefits for children and young people.
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD welcomed the launch, saying:
“Research and innovation are essential to the development of modern, effective healthcare. The establishment of the Institute for Child Health Ireland is a significant opportunity to strengthen Ireland’s commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of children and young people. By supporting collaboration, this initiative has the potential to contribute to new treatments, improved care and better outcomes for children and their families.”
Lucy Nugent, Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Health Ireland, said:
“Our responsibility extends beyond delivering the best possible care today and this Institute builds on the expertise and ambition that already exist across Children’s Health Ireland and our academic and research partners. We must also invest in the research and innovation that will help us deliver better outcomes for children and young people in the future. By bringing clinicians, researchers, academic partners, innovators and families together, we can help ensure that the needs and experiences of children remain at the heart of everything we do. New ideas and discoveries can translate into better care, and Ireland can make an increasingly significant contribution to advancing child health.”
A central principle of the Institute will be ensuring that research and innovation are informed by the experiences and needs of children and their families. CHI’s existing work includes opportunities for young people to contribute their perspectives through its Young Persons’ Advisory Group, Youth Advisory Council and Family Advisory Network, helping to ensure that children’s voices are considered in research and service improvement.
Harry, aged 10, helps clinical teams to understand the importance of child-centred healthcare;
“I enjoy watching the doctors, nurses and paramedics get better at their job through simulation. My job is to be the patient and they have to figure out what’s wrong with me. You can see them get better through practicing. My message from kids is to talk to us and not around us, and nothing about us without us.”
With research facilities and partnerships forming an important part of the wider development of children’s healthcare in Ireland, and with children and young people at the centre of its mission, the Institute for Child Health Ireland aims to contribute to a future in which high-quality clinical care, world-class research and meaningful collaboration work together to improve child health.