I rise to speak about mental health, Traveller mental health and health in general. Under the previous Government, Travellers were promised stand-alone budget services for Traveller mental health. Unfortunately, none of that has carried through for our community in the past six years. One in 11 deaths is caused by suicide. An all-Ireland health study was carried out over 12 years ago within the Traveller community. That health study needs to be updated. Pavee Point is looking for resources and funding to be able to do that. It has called for a meeting with the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, more than two times. I have written to the Minister looking for a meeting about Traveller-specific health services and I have not received a reply.

I understand that everyone has the right to go into a hospital if they are sick. Everyone has the right to go into a mental health service if they need support. I will tell the House the God’s honest truth on behalf of members of the Traveller community. I stand here as a public representative and I know what it is like to be looked down on when you go into accident and emergency departments and your word is not taken. Many Traveller women have been diagnosed with cancer and are dead and buried within two weeks. That does not happen often in the settled community but happens on a regular basis in our community.

I want wraparound supports for our community. It is not about looking for special treatment; it is about basic treatment that we need.

There have been false promises. You can only kick a dog so many times until it bites you. In this new term, that is my aim. I have been nice for the past six years. I have tried my best to work with Ministers who have done little or nothing for our community. We are not second class citizens in this country; we are third class citizens. Too often, we are looked down on when it comes to health, in particular mental health. The reply from the Leader may be to suggest a Commencement matter. Commencement matters are another talking shop. We get no information and Ministers never come back with appropriate answers. We are always left wondering. I ask for a debate in the House we can all get involved in on health and Traveller mental health.