Dr. Brian Keogh:

With regard to how the mental health liaison nurse works, when we did the evaluation she was in place for about two years. She had spent considerable time building up relationships with the community and the health and social care agencies in Carlow and Kilkenny. She worked with individuals, groups and the health and social care agencies. When she met people individually, she engaged in listening, support, reassurance, education and advice, and then pointed them in the right direction. She had a great knowledge of the services available in both of the counties. She was able to put people in touch with the relevant organisations and advocate for them in some cases. She could contact the Housing Agency or social work services on a Traveller's behalf to discuss the matter in question. She was also involved in crisis intervention. When Travellers were in crisis, she was able to speak to them and work out a plan to address certain issues. Much of her work was on signposting, to either community organisations or non-governmental organisations, or to primary care services through general practitioner services. For example, she might have told a Traveller that he or she needed to make an appointment with a general practitioner but an issue might have arisen in that he or she might not have been registered with a general practitioner. Part of her job in that case was to make sure that the individual could be registered. The approach was individualised, depending on the case. The nurse knew all the agencies and was able to support families. Where parents said their children were misusing substances, she was able to provide some sort of support and recommend services. She recommended such services to the family members in addition to the Traveller who came for the help in the first place.