A Traveller Voice at National Level
Traveller mental health is in crisis. We read more and more reports of Traveller families devastated by suicide. Figures from 2010 show that suicide among Travellers is 6 times greater than in the settled population. We know that mental health is impacted by living conditions, low educational outcomes and high unemployment.
Our message to Mental Health Minister Jim Daly TD today is that Travellers need a voice at a high level in the Dept of Health to ensure that an approach that works for Travellers can be adopted within the mainstream.
Implement New Traveller Health Action Plan
A new National Traveller Health Action Plan is being developed, in consultation with Traveller groups, through the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy. This needs to be published and needs to be implemented without delay. We need a Planning Advisory body for Traveller Health (PATH) to drive implementation and delivery of Action Plan.
Photo: Mental Health Minister Jim Daly, TD visits Pavee Point in May 2018. Photo by Derek Speirs.