Traveller mental health plan
Deputy Gino Kenny raised the Traveller National Mental Health Network’s protest and the lack of progress on a Traveller mental health action plan. The Minister said the matter would be referred to the Taoiseach’s office and that publication of the plan was a priority.
Earlier, the National Traveller Mental Health Network held a protest outside the Dáil in respect of Traveller mental health. It held a similar protest five months ago. One of its main calls at the time was for a meeting with the Taoiseach. At today's protest, there was a sense of music and a sense of poetry but there was also a deep sense of hopelessness and despair within the Traveller community regarding Traveller mental health. It is an atrocious situation. On "Morning Ireland" earlier, a member of the Traveller community spoke about the 29 members of her extended family who have died by suicide. That is an absolutely atrocious situation. I have two questions. Will the Taoiseach meet with representatives from the network immediately? Will the action plan for Traveller mental health be implemented as soon as possible?
Comment on this
I thank Deputy Gino Kenny for raising this matter. I will not speak for the Taoiseach, but I do not believe he would be reluctant to have a meeting. This is an issue that we will refer to his office. I wish to reassure the Deputy that the finalisation and publication of the national Traveller health action plan is a priority issue for the Department of Health and the HSE. The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Mary Butler, and the HSE expect to publish the Traveller health action plan in the coming weeks. We look forward to seeing that published and implemented.