The Minister for Health Mary Harney today signed up to a major global drive to stamp out hospital infections like the MRSA superbug.
World Health Organisation (WHO)'s Global Patient Safety Pledge theme for 2005-2006 has a strong focus on hand hygiene.
Ms Harney said the country's hospitals would implement actions to reduce hospital-acquired infections like MRSA and to share results and research on an international basis.
The minister called for health professional bodies and associations to promote the highest standards of practice and behaviour to reduce the risk.
"Poor hygiene standards puts lives in danger. We all need to play our part to dramatically improve hygiene standards in hospitals. Ms Harney pointed out that a national hygiene audit in October had created a benchmark on the issue.
"Improvement requires buy-in from everybody - hospital staff in all areas and visitors. "Our goal is clean hands, clean practices, clean products, clean environment and clean equipment.
"This is an attainable goal and will be a priority for the health services."
World Alliance for Patient Safety chairman Sir Liam Donaldson congratulated Ms Harney on signing up to the Challenge on behalf of Ireland.