Mr. Bernard Joyce:

Mental health and suicide are among the most difficult topics any of us have to discuss. It is very difficult for our community but we want to address it and that is why we are here. We have striven at local level for 30 years to build relationships and to understand the contexts for exclusion. We have tried to build an analysis and find ways to build bridges with communities in local areas and in society, which is now quite diverse. In the context of the values and principles of Traveller organisations, we work towards building solidarity and unity and the issues we have are very much those that affect the wider community at some level. Racism affects our community but it also affects other communities, such as migrant workers who come from different countries.

There is an extent to which people want to integrate Travellers into their way of life, as opposed to accepting our way of life, and this shows an imbalance of power. Nomadism is one of the core parts of Traveller culture, identity and way of life. It is not a lifestyle but a way of being, yet it was robbed from us by the 2000 Act, which criminalises Travellers for moving. Other legislation in recent years curtailed horse ownership while other legislation, made by non-Travellers, restricts every element of Travellers' culture and identity and strips it away.

We have only recently come before the political establishment in terms of these forums. We have moved from policy to legislation followed by more legislation seeking to literally eradicate or remove Travellers to then assimilating them, and that has been happening since the foundation of the State. We have no Traveller representatives in the Dáil, no Senators or Deputies, no political representation. Every discussion we have is on the back foot. When we talk about culture people talk about justification and try to convince me about Traveller identity and culture. When we talk about racism people try to justify or explain how Travellers should be better citizens and again we are starting from being on the back foot. Yet when it comes to national level and representing Ireland, we are to the forefront; we carry the flag. Francis Barrett went to the Olympics and he was a frontrunner in carrying the Irish flag. We feel very proud of our nationality, culture and the achievements people have made on our behalf, both nationally and abroad. We watched the rugby over the weekend and all the other sports.

In terms of where we are coming from and where we are going, first, we need to address the legislation and policy. We need to ensure we address the core cause of Travellers’ mental health issues. We must put forward some of the recommendations that have been made. It really is about the ethnic identifier, the ring-fencing of resources and having a national Traveller health strategy. Some members of this committee have championed a Private Members’ Bill. It is not up to individuals to constantly have to articulate these issues and we cannot expect them to do so. In terms of legislation, it is important society starts to look at Travellers differently post-Traveller ethnicity recognition and examines how we can build a better society that acknowledges and recognises everybody and that the Traveller community have a really important role within that. It is about acceptance. When one accepts that one accepts other cultures and one accepts Travellers as an indigenous group within Ireland who want to play a full and active role. We have been doing that for as long as I - both an activist and member of a local organisation, now the Irish Traveller Movement – can remember.