Background
The Meath Hospital was founded in 1753 to provide health care for the poor of Dublin's Liberties. Funded entirely by voluntary subscriptions and donations from prominent citizens of the day the hospital would attract some of Ireland's most celebrated physicians and surgeons and become an internationally recognised centre for the advancement of medical science.

In 1998, along with the Adelaide and the National Children's Hospital the Meath moved to the new Hospital at Tallaght now known as The Adelaide & Meath Hospital, Dublin Incorporating the National Children's Hospital.

Meath Foundation
The Meath Foundation has evolved from it's former role as the Board of the Meath Hospital to a situation where it is jointly directing a larger hospital, The Adelaide & Meath Hospital, Dublin Incorporating the National Children's Hospital at Tallaght, Dublin, 24.

The members of the Meath Foundation include former staff of the Meath Hospital, the Governors of the Foundation, staff of the Adelaide & Meath Hospital, Dublin Incorporating the National Children's Hospital and members of the community.

Chairman's Address

On behalf of the Meath Foundation I am delighted to welcome you to our web site. The objective of this site is to provide an overview of the functions of the Foundation. The Meath Hospital was founded in 1753 to provide health care for the poor of Dublin's Liberties. Funded entirely by voluntary subscriptions and donations from prominent citizens of the day, the hospital would attract some of Ireland's most celebrated physicians and surgeons and become an internationally recognised centre for the advancement of medical science.

In 1998, together with the Adelaide and The National Children's Hospital (Harcourt Street), the Meath Hospital moved to the new hospital at Tallaght now known as the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin incorporating the National Children's Hospital (AMiNCH).

The Meath Foundation was established as successor to the Board of the Meath Hospital. Our mission is to carry on the best traditions of that hospital by providing a focus for voluntary input into the new hospital here in Tallaght.

The Foundation elects six directors to the Board AMiNCH and we support it's development by promoting healthcare research within the hospital and the wider community.

If this hospital is to continue to develop as a flagship for healthcare we need to expand and develop a strong research base. This will be done in association with our partners in Trinity College Dublin, in the Haughton Institute and, of course, in the local community. The Meath Foundation will play a major role in supporting this development by awarding Research Grants on an annual basis; details regarding this aspect of the Foundation are included on this site.

However, to ensure we can continue to provide such support we will need the continued backing of our benefactors and of the community. If you wish to help carry on the voluntary tradition of the ladies and gentlemen of the eighteenth century who first breathed life into the Meath Hospital by supporting The Meath Foundation contact the Foundation Offices. Remember that when you support healthcare research you are investing in the future of the Hospital and of the Community and you are helping to secure the health of future generations.

Mairead Shields
Chairman

Mission
The mission of The Foundation is to:

Carry on the best traditions of the Meath Hospital by providing a focus for voluntary input into the Adelaide & Meath Hospital, Dublin Incorporating the National Children's Hospital by

• Electing six directors to the Board of the Adelaide & Math Hospital, Dublin Incorporating the National Children's Hospital
• Supporting the development of the Adelaide & Math Hospital, Dublin Incorporating the National Children's Hospital by promoting research within the Hospital and the wider community

Core Values
The core ideology of the Foundation is

• Voluntarism/Self Help
• Inclusiveness
• Innovation/Originality
• Effectiveness
• Objectivity

Vision
The Vision of the Foundation is to:

• Represent the general good at The Adelaide & Meath Hospital, Dublin Incorporating the National Children's Hospital Board "
• Promote the health of the community by supporting and encouraging research

Objectives
The main objectives for which The Foundation is established are:

• To support the provision of health care, research and education in the health care area for the benefit of the community and within the hospital service nationally and to provide health services (other than hospital care) and particularly such health services in areas served by The Adelaide & Meath Hospital, Dublin Incorporating the National Children's Hospital and areas where the State and Health Boards are involved in the provision of such facilities.
• To support and encourage education and training for staff, including Medical (Consultant and Non-Consultant) Hospital Doctors, Nursing, Services Allied to Medicine, Clerical, Administrative, Technical, Maintenance and Support Staff in the hospital and health services and to promote post-graduate training and continuing education and research in the hospital and health care services.
• To promote Research and Health Education in all areas of health care, both within the hospital service and within the community.
• To promote and encourage research, study, education and teaching in the medical, nursing, scientific and health care areas for the benefit of the community and in particular in connection with specialities of medicine associated with the Meath Hospital or County of Dublin Infirmary and The Adelaide & Meath Hospital, Dublin Incorporating the National Children's Hospital, including among others Urology, Gastroenterology, Nephrology, Care of the Elderly and Cardiology and such promotion and encouragement shall include the creation of fellowships and establishment of scholarships and research grants and the providing of all necessary equipment, laboratories, libraries and other facilities intended directly or indirectly to assist such research, study, training and teaching in the medical, nursing, scientific and health care areas.

Strategy
In order to realise our vision the Foundation will

• Use it's resources as a lever to develop a credible and sustained programme of broadly defined research activity in conjunction with the Adelaide & Meath Hospital, Dublin Incorporating the National Children's Hospital and, when appropriate, in collaboration with other agencies.
• Develop the membership of the Foundation

Work of the Foundation
The Meath Foundation supports healthcare research and education in a number of ways including the awarding of research grants. Applications are assessed by a sub-committee of the Board with the assistance of external experts, if necessary, and grants are awarded based on the scientific merit of the projects submitted.

Those in receipt of research awards are required to update The Foundation on the progress of their work and to acknowledge the assistance of the Foundation in publications and presentations arising out their work.