Mr. Jim Walsh:

I wish to flag the national Traveller and Roma strategy which is a whole-of-Government response to addressing health and other needs of Travellers and contains more than 30 health-related actions across four themes. One of the main actions in the strategy is to develop and implement a detailed action plan to address specific health needs of Travellers using a social determinants approach. A draft is in circulation. The Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, and the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, are very engaged on the issue and supportive of the health action plan. I strongly agree with the earlier comments that we need implementation, a monitored action plan and clear outcomes from it.

The Department is committed to ongoing engagement with Traveller organisations on Traveller health issues. In 2018, my unit convened a workshop on Traveller health which brought together relevant units of the Department, the HSE and Traveller organisations to take stock of where we are in terms of Traveller health issues. There are many examples within the Department of health structures with Traveller representation and I make reference to these in my written submission. In line with action 74 of the national Traveller and Roma integration strategy, the Department and the HSE will review arrangements for engagement with Traveller organisations to support the Traveller health action plan. We are committed to hosting a seminar in the Department with key officials to look at the health action plan when it is finalised and to participate in any new structures proposed under the plan. The Department is committed to improving the health status of Travellers. However, many of the levers to achieve this objective lie outside the remit of the Department of Health. The Department will continue to engage with the steering committee of the national Traveller and Roma inclusion strategy and with Traveller organisations to improve health services for Travellers and to address the social determinants of health.