Mr. Patrick Reilly:

To follow on from some of the points Barney made and to respond to the Senator's question, when we consider solidarity, in 2012, the Traveller health tack was completely disbanded. We now have political will. We have the Minister saying that this is what is needed and that this is what will happen but at Department level it was completely blocked. When we talk about solidarity, it needs to be at that level because as Traveller organisations or Traveller representatives, we have done the studies. The All-Ireland Traveller Health Study and the Behaviour & Attitudes study is available. We cannot do any more research. It is available and staring people in the face.

I know Martin, whose son-in-law died, and I have seen the effects of that. I cannot talk for anyone else here. We know what is happening on the ground. We have good politicians. The political will is there but the solidarity is not there at departmental level. We saw that with the Traveller Health Action Plan on which there were good consultations across the country. However, when that plan went back to the Department of Health, it was butchered.

Brigid Quilligan spoke about the social determinants. We cannot look at Traveller health or mental health without taking into consideration the social determinants. I cannot tell a Traveller that he or she needs to go for a walk or join a football team if he or she is having issues with their home in that there is no accommodation. It is a broad issue. We cannot examine Traveller mental health without looking at the social determinants.

Some suggestions have been made regarding the schools. Traveller culture, language and identity needs to be part of the school curriculum without any consideration and that needs to be taught. I learned about Cuchulainn. Why should I not learn about Traveller culture, way of life and language? It needs to be included in the school curriculum.

I learned about Cúchulainn. Why should I not learn about Traveller culture, the Traveller way of life and the Traveller language? Those issues need to go into the school curriculum.

Regarding the budget, it needs to be clear that 48% or €2 million of the Traveller budget nationally for 2007 to 2008 was allocated to Traveller health. A total of €1.8 million of it was taken away to balance the HSE's books. It was completely unacceptable for Travellers on the ground suffering from many issues to be told that €1.8 million of their funding was going to balance the books.