I too raise the National Traveller Mental Health Network, which is protesting outside Leinster House today and demanding urgent action from the Government on mental health. Senator Eileen Flynn has previously highlighted that the suicide rate is six times higher for Traveller women and seven times higher for Traveller men compared with the general population. Life expectancy for Travellers is 15 years lower than that of their settled counterparts. The protest is seeking accountability from the Government over the lack of culturally appropriate mental health services for the Traveller community. The programme for Government contains a commitment to publish a Traveller and Roma mental health action plan. What progress is being made and what can we expect in this regard? I am aware of what the Minister said in response to the other Deputies who raised this matter but we cannot leave these people waiting for months on end. The Minister stated that he is not responsible for the Taoiseach, but will the Taoiseach make a commitment, at the very least, to meet these people and talk about their concerns?

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I reassure her that the Department of Health is fully committed to providing leadership and resources to ensure the implementation of the Traveller health action plan once it is agreed. The priority now is to get it finalised and publish it and then make sure it is resourced. As an initial step towards implementing the plan, the Department provided €270,000 to expand Traveller health units last year and further measures will be considered in the context of the budget. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, will be meeting with Pavee Point in the next number of weeks to further discuss how we can help and make sure this agenda is progressed as a priority.